Ghatsila by-poll: Jharkhand CM cautions people about 'selfish' political leaders

Ghatsila (Jharkhand), Nov 3 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday asked the people of the Ghatsila assembly constituency to beware of those politicians who come to seek votes to serve their own interests in the November 11 by-election.

Addressing a public meeting at Musabani under Ghatsila seat, he was alluding to former CM Champai Soren, who quit the JMM and joined the BJP in August last year, ahead of the state assembly elections.

"Many people, including some who were among us earlier, will come to seek your votes in the by-election to serve their own selfish interests. But the by-poll is meant for the rights of the masses, including adivasis and moolvasis and not for selfish people," he said, while speaking mostly in the Santhali language.

Ghatsila assembly by-election was necessitated following the death of JMM MLA and education minister Ramdas Soren on August 15.

JMM fielded late Ramdas Soren's son Somesh Chandra Soren, while BJP-led NDA reposed faith in Babulal Soren, son of BJP MLA and former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren. Babulal had lost to Ramdas in the 2024 assembly poll by around 22,000 votes.

Champai, who had worked along JMM patriarch Sibu Soren for decades, had switched over to the BJP after he was allegedly forced to step down from the chief minister's post soon after Hemant was released on bail in a money laundering case linked to a land scam last year, and became the CM again.

"They (opposition parties) will make tall promises, but no one except the JMM will be able to provide the people with government welfare schemes," Hemant Soren claimed.

In an indirect reference to the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha, Hemant Soren said some people questioned why Somesh Chandra Soren was not made minister following the death of his father.

"I know very well when to make one a minister. He (Somesh) is an efficient leader, and we will train him to make him a leader of the next generation," he said.

The CM said many people call Somesh a "fool" but he actually is a "blank paper", and he will fulfill the demands people write on it.

If voted to power, Somesh will be among the people of Ghatsila round the year, the CM assured the electorate.

"We had made a lot of people MLAs and MPs and even watched them sinking," he said, without naming anyone.

The CM urged the people to vote for the JMM candidate in the by-poll as it would be a true "Shradhanjali" to late Sibu Soren and Ramdas Soren. PTI BS NN