Kalpana, Wife Of Jailed Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Set For Electoral Debut, Will Contest Assembly By-Poll From Gandey

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced on Thursday (25 April) that Kalpana Soren, wife of incarcerated former chief minister Hemant Soren in an electoral debut will contest the by-poll from the Gandey assembly seat.

The party, a significant member of the INDI Alliance in Jharkhand, also named Sameer Mohanty as its candidate for the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat as per a report by Hindustan Times.

The by-poll for the Gandey seat, which became vacant after JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad's resignation, is scheduled for 20 May, coinciding with the parliamentary elections in Jharkhand.

Kalpana Soren, a homemaker with MTech and MBA qualifications, gained prominence for her vocal criticism of the BJP after Hemant Soren's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case related to an alleged land scam.

Despite being considered a strong contender for the chief minister's post after Hemant Soren's resignation, Kalpana faced opposition from Sita Soren, the elder daughter-in-law of Shibu Soren, who is now in BJP.

Kalpana's political journey began at the 51st foundation day celebration of the JMM in Giridih district on 4 March, where she alleged a conspiracy against the Hemant Soren-led coalition government since its inception in 2019.

Last week, Kalpana read out a message from her husband at the opposition bloc INDI Alliance's 'Ulgulan Nyay' rally, attended by leaders of 28 parties.

She criticised the misuse of central agencies like the ED and CBI to stifle the opposition's voice and vowed to drive out the BJP and similar forces from Jharkhand.