Explained: Why Sita Soren's Exit Is A Setback For The JMM

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has received a pre-election boost with the entry of three-time Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator Sita Soren into the party. 

Sita Soren is no ordinary JMM legislator. She is the daughter-in-law of JMM patriarch and founder Shibu Soren. Her late husband, Durga Soren, was also a founder-member of the party and was Shibu Soren’s chosen heir. 

After Durga Soren passed away suddenly at the family’s Bokaro residence in 2009, his widow (Sita) was given the party ticket from her late husband’s constituency — Jama. 

Jama, in the tribal-dominated Dumka district, was won by Shibu Soren himself in 1985 and then by Durga Soren twice in 1995 and 2000. Sita Soren won the seat thrice — in 2009, 2014 and 2019. 

Sita Soren is known to have a mind of her own. She is also said to be the only one in the Soren family that its patriarch Shibu Soren listens to.

After her husband’s sudden death in 2009 (he was just 40 years old then), Durga Soren expected her father-in-law to name her his successor. Her expectations received a fillip with Shibu Soren appointing her the national general secretary of the JMM soon after she won from Jama for the first time in 2009. 

Durga Soren was already into politics when her husband died. Ever since her marriage to Durga Soren, she had helped him in his political work and used to handle his constituency (Jama). Durga was a permanent fixture in JMM meetings and programmes and used to take an active role in public rallies and meetings. 

JMM insiders told Swarajya that she has a sharp political acumen and possesses organisational capabilities.

Upstaged By Hemant Soren

But her hopes to succeed Shibu Soren were dashed when the latter chose his second son — Hemant — as his successor sometime in the later half of 2010. 

Hemant Soren contested and won the Dumka Assembly seat in 2009. The JMM was supporting a Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at that time and Shibu Soren nominated Hemant over his daughter-in-law (Sita) as the deputy chief minister in the Arjun Munda government in September 2010. 

Sita Soren was left disappointed and made her displeasure known to her father-in-law. Shibu Soren reportedly told her to be patient and that her time would come. 

But Sita Soren’s rift with her late husband’s family started growing with Hemant Soren’s rise in the party. 

The Arjun Munda government was dismissed and President’s Rule imposed in the state by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre in January 2013. After a seven-month spell of central rule, the JMM, supported by the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, formed the government in the state and Hemant Soren became the Chief Minister. 

The JMM was dislodged from power in the 2014 assembly elections by the NDA and Hemant Soren became the leader of opposition. When the JMM-led coalition won the 2019 assembly elections, he became the chief minister for the second time. 

But Sita Soren was ignored by the party and not even made a minister. Though she continued to sulk in the shadows, she remained active politically, especially in her constituency. She also continued to discharge her organisational responsibilities. 

Despite being kept out of the limelight, and the cabinet, by her brother-in-law (Hemant), Sita Soren enjoyed considerable clout within the party, especially among its grassroots functionaries and old-time workers who were associated with her late husband. 

Sita Soren’s Rebellion And Exit From JMM

Sita Soren spied an opportunity to get her due (the chief minister’s post) when it became apparent late last year that Hemant Soren would have to step down from the Chief Minister’s post because his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a land scam was imminent. 

But Hemant wanted to appoint his wife Kalpana to the chief minister’s post. With this in mind, he got a party MLA — Sarfaraz Ahmed, who had won the Gandey Assembly seat thrice — to step down in early January. 

Hemant’s plan was that he would step down and his wife (Kalpana) would be appointed the chief minister. She would then contest the by-elections from Gandey (a safe seat). 

But Sita Soren’s resistance to the plan caused a stir within the JMM and with many old-timers and party functionaries backing her, Hemant Soren had to abandon his plan. 

Sita Soren’s rebellion, however, cost her dearly. JMM functionaries who are close to her told Swarajya that the jailed Hemant Soren, his brother Basant (who is now a minister) and some others in the party and government started planning moves against her. 

“Moves were afoot to divest Sita Soren and her children of their share of their family properties, and also lodge police cases against her,” said a senior JMM leader who is close to her. 

Faced with the prospect of harassment, and finding herself cut away from power and influence, Sita Soren decided to shift to the BJP. 

Sita Soren’s exit from the JMM has dealt a blow to the party. The JMM leadership has been caught unawares and the party’s general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya admitted this in as many words. 

What is significant is that unlike in the case of other defectors, no JMM spokesperson or leader has used harsh words against Sita Soren since she announced her decision to join the BJP. 

“That itself proves her immense political worth. She has considerable following among tribals. And as the wronged elder bahu of the family, that too a widow, who has been treated very unfairly by her young and ambitious brother-in-law, she will get a lot of public sympathy,” said a Jharkhand BJP leader. 

The Wronged Vidhva Bahu (Widowed Daughter-In-Law)

Sita Soren's resignation letter (translated from Hindi) read: “Since the demise of my husband, Durga Soren, who was a leading warrior of the Jharkhand movement and a great revolutionary, I and my family have been victims of continuous neglect. The party and family members have isolated us. It has been extremely painful for me. I had hoped that the situation would improve with time, but unfortunately it did not happen. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, which my late husband had made a great party by dint of his strength, sacrifice, dedication and leadership ability, is no more today. I feel deeply saddened to see that the party has now gone into the hands of those people whose vision and objectives do not match our values and ideals”. 

She also added: “Despite the tireless efforts of Shri Shibu Soren (Guruji Baba), who worked hard to keep all of us together, I have recently come to know that a deep conspiracy is being hatched against me and my family. I am extremely sad. I have firmly decided that I have to leave Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and this family. Therefore, I am resigning from my primary membership. I request you to accept my resignation. I will always be grateful to you and the party. My best wishes will always be with you”. 

How Sita Soren’s Entry Into BJP Could Help The Party

BJP state president Babulal Marandi said that Sita Soren’s entry into the BJP will definitely strengthen the party and pave the way for the NDA bagging all 14 seats from Jharkhand. 

“She was wronged and had been facing insults for many years. Had her husband (Durga Soren) been alive, he would have been the CM. Durga Soren was a leading light of the Jharkhand statehood movement and was assisted by Sita Soren. But she has been discriminated against and those who had no role to play in the Jharkhand movement are now enjoying power,” Marandi told Swarajya. 

Hemant Soren and the JMM had been blaming the BJP for using the ED to hound Hemant and send him to prison. They had been portraying the BJP as an anti-tribal party. 

Sita Soren’s entry into the BJP will help the saffron party neutralise that charge. The BJP now plans to go on the offensive against Hemant Soren and the JMM by portraying Sita Soren as the ‘wronged widow’ whose fatherless children have also not been spared by Hemant Soren and his coterie. 

The entry of Sita Soren into the party will also allow the BJP to shift the focus effectively on the scams that Hemant Soren is allegedly involved in. 

Apart from that, Sita Soren’s oratorical skills, and her considerable following among tribals, could also benefit the BJP. 

In 2019, the BJP had bagged 11 seats and its ally (All Jharkhand Students’ Union) got one seat while the JMM and the Congress won one each. This time the BJP appears confident of bagging all 14 seats from the state.