Hemant Soren may field wife Kalpana from Dumka

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday took oath as MLA representing Barheit Assembly constituency. Hemant, who is also the working president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), had contested from two Assembly segments – Dumka and Barheit. He won from both the constituencies. However, on Monday, he decided to retain Barheit from where he triumphed with a bigger margin.

“Dumka is my home-town. I have grown up in the bylanes of this constituency. And it will always remain close to my heart,” said Hemant, refusing to confirm or deny whether his wife Kalpana Soren will be the JMM candidate for the Dumka Assembly bypoll.

However, JMM sources told Deccan Herald that the ruling party in Jharkhand would field Hemant’s wife Kalpana from Dumka Assembly seat whenever the bypoll is announced.

“Dumka has been the JMM bastion from where party patriarch Shibu Soren had become Lok Sabha MP seven times. Hemant also made his debut as a legislator in 2009 from Dumka. In all likelihood, Hemant will field Kalpana from Dumka, the second capital of Jharkhand. This will be Kalpana’s first foray into the hurly-burly of Indian politics,” the JMM source said.

Hemant, who completed his schooling from Patna, is married to Kalpana and has two sons. On December 29, he took over as Jharkhand Chief Minister for the second time after the JMM-led alliance swept the Assembly polls on December 23. His father Shibu Soren too had earlier served as CM of this tribal-dominated State thrice.