Ranchi: Kalpana Soren, the spouse of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, has formally entered the political realm by submitting her nomination papers for the upcoming Gandey Assembly by-election. This development, taking place alongside the Lok Sabha elections, signifies a significant stride for Kalpana Soren as she aspires to represent the populace of Jharkhand.
On Monday, Kalpana, accompanied by Chief Minister Champai Soren, Basant Soren (minister and Hemant Soren’s younger sibling), Alamgir Alam (minister), Satyanand Bhokta (minister), Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji, and numerous Grand Alliance workers, filed her nomination papers. Preceding this, on Sunday, she sought the blessings of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief, MP, and father-in-law Shibu Soren, along with her mother-in-law Rupi Soren.
In her declaration, Kalpana reiterated her steadfast dedication to serving the people of Jharkhand and the Gandey assembly constituency as a committed member of the JMM. She vowed to tirelessly advocate for their rights, aiming to foster positive change in Gandey with the support and blessings of all.
It is pertinent to mention that Sarfaraz Ahmed of the JMM previously held the Gandey seat. Sarfaraz vacated his position during Hemant Soren’s arrest in a land scam case by the Enforcement Directorate. Subsequently, he was recently elected to the Rajya Sabha.
Hemant Soren, the working president of the JMM and former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case involving a land scam, following over seven hours of interrogation. His judicial custody was extended until April 5, and he is presently detained in Birsa Munda Central Jail.
Prior to his arrest, Soren tendered his resignation from the post of Chief Minister to the Governor of Jharkhand. Subsequently, JMM’s senior leader and Transport Minister, Champai Soren, assumed the role of the new Chief Minister of Jharkhand.