Putting an end to all speculations doing the rounds from past several days, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has officially declared its candidate for the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat. Samir Mohanty, the sitting MLA from Baharagora, has been nominated for the prestigious position, marking a significant development in the political landscape of the region. The party was facing backlash for delay in announcing the party's candidate from the coveted seat.
The announcement came with the signature of the Central General Secretary of JMM, confirming Mohanty's candidacy for the upcoming elections. Alongside this revelation, Kalpana Murmu Soren has been designated as the candidate for the Gandey Legislative Assembly constituency, as per simultaneous information released by the party.
Mohanty's nomination has quelled the uncertainties surrounding the candidacy for Jamshedpur, leaving no room for doubt among contenders. At 49 years old, Mohanty hails from Baharagora and boasts a political career as an MLA, with notable assets and liabilities declared during the assembly elections.
With assets worth Rs 6 lakh 64 thousand 917, and debts totaling Rs 4 lakh 30 thousand 899, Mohanty's financial standing is transparent. Despite facing three registered cases in the past, his political journey reflects a seasoned leader with experience spanning across different parties.
Mohanty's affiliation with JMM solidified after Kunal Sarangi’s departure to BJP during the 2019 elections, marking his return home to the party after 15 years. His inclusion was celebrated in the presence of Hemant Soren, underlining his influence in rural areas and reinforcing his candidacy for the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the Mahagathbandhan had fielded JMM leader and current Chief Minister Champai Soren, who suffered a significant defeat to the BJP candidate, Bidyut Baran Mahto, securing 59.4 per cent of the vote share compared to Soren's 33 per cent.
Meanwhile, the JMM has also announced name of former CM Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren to contest from Gandey in the Assembly bypoll scheduled to be held on May 20. Kalpana will start her political career by contesting the bypoll from Gandey seat, which fell vacant after resignation of JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmed.
Kalpana will file nomination from Gandey on 29 April. Voting will be held in Gandey on May 20 and the results will be announced simultaneously with that of General Elections on June 4.
Ever since former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was arrested on January 31, Kalpana has been continuously addressing meetings one after another in support of JMM. She also took part in the Ulgulan Rally organised by INDI Alliance in Ranchi on April 21.
