JMM chief Shibu Soren suspended two MLAs, including daughter-in-law Sita Soren, for six years each

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren on May 17 took disciplinary action against his rebel leaders and suspended two party MLAs for six years each.

Mr Soren suspended JMM Borio MLA Lobin Hembrom and his daughter-in-law Sita Soren MLA from the Jama Assembly seat. The action was taken after Mr Hembrom made a formal announcement last month to contest the Lok Sabha poll as an independent candidate against the party candidate from the Rajmahal seat, while Ms Soren, who quit the JMM and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last month, is now contesting the Lok Sabha election from Dumka against JMM candidate Nalin Soren.

The JMM has fielded Vijay Hansda as its candidate for the Rajmahal seat reserved for the Scheduled Tribe, while the BJP has fielded Tala Marandi as its candidate. Rajmahal will vote in the seventh phase on June 1.

Ms. Soren held the post of central general secretary of the party.

Mr Hembrom is a habitual offender who continually embarrasses his party. In the past too, he has spoken out against then chief minister Hemant Soren and alleged that nothing had been done for the tribals in the state.

When Kalpana Soren’s name was doing the rounds in the political corridor, elder daughter-in-law and party MP Sita Soren had also raised objections and said that she would not accept Kalpana Murmu Soren as CM. To ease the anger in the family, Champai Soren was appointed as the Prime Minister and all speculations ended thereafter.

To maintain discipline in the party, the JMM has taken action against five JMM leaders who have been vocal against the functioning of the party. Out of five, three are sitting MLAs while two are former MLAs.

The party had opened the doors to JMM Bishunpur MLA Chamra Linda, who was contesting against Grand Alliance Congress candidate Sukhdev Bhagat from Lohardaga Lok Sabha seat. Former MLA JP Verma, who is contesting from Koderma Lok Sabha seat as an independent candidate, has also been suspended, as has former MLA Basant Longa, who is contesting from Lok Sabha seat as an independent candidate from Khunti Lok Sabha seat.