Hemant Soren takes charge of JMM, elected party chief at 13th convention

Ranchi, April 15 (IANS) The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Tuesday formally ushered in a new chapter in its history, with Hemant Soren formally taking charge of the party after being unanimously elected its new President.

The decision was announced at the 13th party convention held at the Harivansh Tana Bhagat Stadium in Ranchi's Khelgaon, attended by nearly 4,000 representatives.

Marking the end of an era, JMM patriarch Shibu Soren, fondly known as Guruji, and Hemant Soren's father, stepped down after leading the party for 38 years. He has now been designated the party’s founding patron.

Hemant Soren’s wife and Gandey MLA, Kalpana Soren, has been inducted as an active member of the party’s Central Committee, which now comprises 289 members.

Hemant Soren, who was made JMM's Working President in 2015, assumes full leadership as the party formally abolished the post of Working President by amending its constitution.

In a symbolic moment, Shibu Soren himself proposed Hemant Soren's name for the top post, which was approved unanimously by voice vote.

Due to age and illness, Shibu Soren has remained away from the political frontline in recent years. On Monday, the first day of the convention, Hemant Soren personally brought his father to the convention venue in a wheelchair.

Though the official transition happened on Tuesday, Hemant Soren has effectively been at the helm of the party for nearly a decade.

Under his leadership, the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), comprising the JMM, the Congress, the RJD, and the CPI-ML -- won the 2019 and 2024 Assembly elections, securing power in Jharkhand.

Founded in 1972, the JMM held its first convention in Dhanbad in 1983. Shibu Soren was elected party President for the first time in 1987 and had since been re-elected unopposed, most recently for the tenth time during the 12th convention in December 2021.

After his election, Hemant Soren vowed to take the JMM legacy forward. "Guruji founded the party as a movement. Now, it is my responsibility to carry it to the national stage," he said.

--IANS

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