All is not well within the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). At the time when JMM leaders Champai Soren and Kalpana Soren tried to forge unity among INDIA alliance leaders at Loktantra Bachao" (save democracy) rally at Delhi Ramlila Maidan. JMM veteran leader and party MLA Lobin Hembram has raised a banner of revolt against party leadership announcing that that he will contest the elections from Rajmahal at any cost. Even if the party has fielded it, even if it has not fielded it. If not fielded then independents will contest. He said that there is resentment in the palace towards the current MP Vijay Hansda. If he gets the ticket, the party will suffer loss.
Hembram announcement to contest the elections as independent candidate has come at the time when INDIA alliance leaders are yet to finalize candidates for different seats. Adding more trouble to INDIA alliance, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday named Gopen Soren as its candidate for the Rajmahal Lok Sabha constituency in Jharkhand, a party official said.
The party has decided to contest two Lok Sabha seats – Rajmahal and Chatra – out of 14 seats in Jharkhand.
The BJP has already named Tala Marandi as its candidate for the Rajmahal seat, while the INDIA bloc is yet to announce the candidate for the seat.
JMM’s Vijay Kumar Hansdak is currently representing the Rajmahal Lok Sabha constituency, which he won by defeating Hemlal Murmu of BJP in the 2019 elections.
Hembram said that he has been roaming in Rajmahal Lok Sabha constituency for the last one week. He is meeting people in different areas of the palace and taking their opinion. He says that this time the people of the palace want to see him as a candidate. That's why he is presenting his claim on the Rajmahal seat.
Regarding current MP Vijay Hansda, Lobin Hembram said that his image in Rajmahal Lok Sabha is not as a leader but as a businessman. Said that his reach among the people of the area is negligible. This time, if Vijay Hansda is given the ticket, there will be resentment among the people.
Lobin Hembram said that he has talked to the party high command about contesting the elections. In response to this, the top leaders of the party said that they should consider giving him the ticket. The party high command says that they are still brainstorming on this. Lobin said that if the party does not give him the ticket, he will contest the Rajmahal Lok Sabha seat as an independent candidate.
On earlier, occasions too Lobin has brought discomfort to JMM leadership. In the month of February, miffed after being ignored by his party — JMM — after the appointment of Seraikela MLA Champai Soren as chief minister, veteran leader of the party and legislator from Borio (ST seat), Lobin Hembrom, said he has decided to leave the Shibu Soren’s political group.
On January 31, political turmoil gripped the govt after the arrest of Hemant Soren by the ED in connection with a land scam case.
Lobin Hembrom also claimed that wrong advice led to Hemant Soren's arrest by the ED. Hemant Soren, the former chief minister, has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
