Ranchi: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren dismissed rumours about him joining the BJP ahead of the upcoming state Assembly elections, media reports said.

Media reports had suggested that Soren, a close ally of the Soren family, was considering a switch to the BJP due to dissatisfaction with his abrupt removal from the top position to allow Hemant Soren to become Chief Minister of Jharkhand again.

However, Champai Soren rejected the reports. "I don't know what rumours are being spread. I don't know what news is being run, so I cannot tell whether it's true or not. I don't know anything about it...Hum jahan par hain vahi par hain (I am here only)," he was quoted as saying by ANI.

This was affirmed by BJP leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who said that the saffron party is not in touch with anyone from the JMM.

"No one is in touch with us yet. I am also hearing these reports from the channels. Champai Soren is a very senior leader, I do not want to make any informal comment about him," Sarma said while speaking to news agency ANI.

Currently, Champai Soren is serving as the water resources minister of Jharkhand.

He was appointed Chief Minister after Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in an alleged land scam.

However, Champai Soren resigned from the Chief Minister's position on July 3 after Hemant Soren was granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court.

The decision to replace Soren was made after the INDIA alliance MLAs and leaders agreed to elect Hemant Soren as the leader of the JMM legislature party.

Champai Soren, a close associate of Hemant Soren and his family, represents the Seraikella assembly constituency.

He currently serves as the Minister for Transport, Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Caste, and Backward Class Welfare, and also holds the position of Vice-President of JMM.