Kalpana Murmu Soren, wife of jailed former Chief Minister Hemant Soren, on Monday filed her nomination from Gandey Assembly seat as Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate for which the bypoll is scheduled on May 20 along with Lok Sabha polling for the fifth phase. The seat in Giridih district fell vacant after the resignation of JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad, who is now Rajya Sabha member.
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Several senior leaders of alliance partners, including JMM leader and Chief Minister Champai Soren, Minister Basant Soren, were present along with Satyanad Bhokta of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Alamgir Alam of the Congress.
Soon after filing her nomination papers, she addressed a public meeting at Paparwatand Sports ground in Giridih in the presence of JMM founder Shibu Soren.
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‘Lives in people’s hearts’
“The dictatorial forces have imprisoned Hemantji within four walls, but how will they be able to imprison his thoughts? Hemantji lives in the hearts of the people of the country and Jharkhand. How will the dictatorial forces be able to remove Hemantji from the hearts of the people?” Ms. Soren said.
She further said: “Today, with the blessings of respected Dishom Guruji and Hemantji, I have come here as a resident of Gandey, Bengabad and Giridih. We have to work for every section of Gandey Assembly — tribals and natives, women, youth, farmers, children, and elderly. I request all of you to help me take Gandey Assembly on the path of progress by pressing the button on the bow and arrow (party symbol) on May 20.”
She also asserted that Jharkhand will not bow down and neither will the INDIA bloc stop in raising its voice.
Mr. Soren, her husband, is jailed in the alleged money laundering case and much before his arrest, rumours were floating around that she might step into politics by becoming the Chief Minister. The speculation gathered momentum when Mr. Ahmad had resigned from Gandey Assembly seat in January reportedly to make way for a safe passage to Ms. Soren to contest the election from a general seat because as per rules, she cannot contest from a reserved tribal seat Berhait that is presently represented by the arrested party leader.
Similarly, when her name was making the rounds in the political corridor, JMM chief Shibu Soren’s elder daughter-in-law Sita Soren, now with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had raised objections saying that she will not accept Ms. Kalpana Soren as CM. To temper the anger within the family, Mr. Champai Soren was made the Chief Minister putting to rest the swirling talk regarding the CM’s post.