Simon takes to streets as Dumka seat goes to Soren

Marandi’s ire against Soren intensified after he learnt about Soren’s candidature from Dumka this time. He led a procession at Pakuria block in Pakur district, which falls in Rajmahal, where he had lost to the Congress MP Thomas Hansda in the 1995, 1998 and 1999 LS polls.

‘‘I had brought him (Soren) here in the 1970s. But over the years, he has become self-centred and turned the party into his pocket organisation. If I decide to quit the JMM, I will join the Congress with at least my wife,’’ he said.

If Marandi quits, he will be third among the first four JMM leaders to have left. Shailendra Mahato and Suraj Mandal are already in BJP and Jharkhand Vikas Party. While Soren predicts victory, JMM poll managers are leaving nothing to chance. ‘‘Thomas Hansda, Congress MP from neighbouring Rajmahal constituency, has promised us he will talk to Sonia Gandhi and persuade her not to put up any candidate against Guruji,’’ said Leader of Opposition Stephen Marandi.

Soren, who won the Rajya Sabha seat on March 27 with the support of NDA constituents, had lost Dumka Lok Sabha seat by less than 5,000 votes to CM Babulal Marandi in 1998. Later, while Soren bagged Rajya Sabha seat with RJD chief Laloo Yadav’s backing, his wife and JMM nominee Rupi Soren was defeated by the CM in the mid-term LS polls in 1999.

Marandi’s men said the JMM could have asked Soren to stick to the RS seat and fielded him. ‘‘Some party MLAs, such as Durga Soren, wanted Rupi. But the others, who knew the party had split after vice-president Suraj Mandal had questioned her candidature, were keen on Simon,’’ said a party source.