Responding to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s comments about internal conflicts within Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s family over the candidacy of Kalpana Soren as the next Jharkhand CM, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Basant Soren stated on Monday that such issues are not typical of their family, emphasizing the unity within JMM. Basant Soren, also the brother of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, expressed that decisions would prioritize the welfare of the party and the state.
Basant Soren said, “Our family is united. The decision which is good for the party and state’s welfare will be taken.” Addressing Nishikant Dubey’s claims of family discord, Basant Soren remarked, “Do you have any doubt that the family is not united? This is not Nishikant Dubey’s family but Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. These things (rift) happen in his family only. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is a united family.”
Regarding allegations that the Centre is harassing Hemant Soren due to his tribal status, Basant Soren commented, “We are not saying this. People of Jharkhand are saying this. This is the public’s opinion.”
Earlier, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had asserted that Basant Soren and Hemant Soren’s sister-in-law Sita Soren opposed the proposal of Kalpana Soren becoming the next Jharkhand Chief Minister. Nishikant Dubey claimed that both MLAs were absent from the legislature party meeting in Ranchi and had refused to accept Kalpana Soren or other MLAs as the Chief Minister.
On the same day, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren chaired a meeting with ministers of his ruling coalition amid BJP allegations that he was avoiding an Enforcement Directorate probe into an alleged land scam. Soren, in a letter to the Enforcement Directorate, stated that he would record his statement on January 31 at his residence in Ranchi.
