Won't quit politics, open to floating new outfit: Champai Soren
Ranchi, Aug 21: Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday said he would not quit politics, asserting that an option to float a new political outfit was always open to him.
Soren said he was firm on his plans after "facing humiliation at the hands of leaders of JMM", a party to which the veteran leader claimed that he devoted his entire life.
"It is a new chapter of my life. I won't quit politics as I have received lots of love and support from my followers. I had mentioned three options - quitting politics, organisation or friend. I will not quit politics. The chapter (of quitting politics) has closed, I may form a new outfit," the senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader said shortly after he reached his ancestral village Jhilingora in Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
The 67-year-old tribal leader has earned the nickname 'Jharkhand's Tiger' for his contribution to the fight to create a separate state in the 1990s.
Jharkhand was carved out of the southern part of Bihar in 2000.
"No one from JMM contacted me. This is the land of Jharkhand...I have struggled since my student life. I participated in the agitation for a separate Jharkhand state under the leadership of party supremo Shibu Soren," Champai Soren said.
The JMM leader said he might join hands with any outfit if he gets a like-minded organisation or a friend during his next journey.
"I will strengthen the party, a new party and if I meet a good friend on the way, then I will move ahead with the friend...", he said.
Referring to his post on X on August 18, the former chief minister said, "I posted what I felt was proper. The entire country is aware of what I thought."
Amid speculations that he might join the BJP, the veteran politician had said he experienced "bitter humiliation" as chief minister, which compelled him to seek an alternative path.
"After so much humiliation, I was forced to look for an alternative path," Champai Soren had said, alleging that all his government programmes in the first week of July were abruptly cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge.
"When I enquired about the reasons for cancellation, I was informed that there was a meeting of party legislators on July 3 and that I could not attend any government programme until then," he had said.
He had asked, "Can there be anything more humiliating in a democracy than having a chief minister's programme cancelled by another person?"
Soren claimed that although the CM had the authority to call a meeting of the legislative party, he was not even informed of the meeting's agenda.
"During the (July 3) meeting, I was asked to resign. I was taken aback. Since I had no desire for power, I resigned immediately. However, my self-respect was deeply hurt," Soren had added.
The ex-CM said he had announced in the legislative party meeting that "a new chapter in my life is going to begin from today".
"From that day until now, and through the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, all options are open for me in this journey," he said.
Champai Soren assumed office as the 12th CM of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after his predecessor Hemant Soren resigned just before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
Hemant Soren was released from jail on June 28 after being granted bail by the high court. On July 3, he was elected as the JMM's legislature party leader.
Champai Soren subsequently submitted his resignation letter to the governor, paving the way for Hemant Soren to be sworn in as chief minister for the third time.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
