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Journalism of Courage
Vipatti bhi sampatti lekar aati hai (Trying times too bring their own wealth).”
This is how a leader close to the Sorens describes the latest member of the family to have made her political debut: Kalpana Murmu Soren. In the articulate 48-year-old who seems to have found her feet amazingly quickly after the resignation as chief minister and subsequent arrest of her husband Hemant Soren, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) clearly sees a new hope.
However, as the “vipatti” continues, how long before the “sampatti” runs out – against pressures from the Centre as well as from inside the party – is the question many are asking.
Kalpana chose March 4, the JMM foundation day, to mark her formal entry into politics – more than a month after Hemant was jailed in an alleged money laundering case on January 31.
It was a speech full of rhetoric and tears, with Kalpana evoking the memory of Hemant and invoking his old parents, including father Shibu Soren, who continues to be held in high esteem in the state, as the man behind the creation of Jharkhand.
“My in-laws are teary-eyed and I thought I would not cry, but I am standing teary-eyed,” she said, in Hindi. “However, seeing your love and affection, I am feeling strong. I am seeing the anger… there is fire… Your scream should reach Hemant Soren in Hotwar Jail (Ranchi). Long Live Hemant Soren!” she said.
Vowing to “continue the struggle like my husband”, Kalpana said injustice had been done to him, and asked if the people in Delhi had “dil (heart)”. What was Hemant’s crime, she said. “Is asking for Rs 1.36 lakh crore (the money the JMM government claims is due to Jharkhand on account of the land acquired by Coal India) back a crime? Or asking for 27% reservation a crime? Is asking for an Advisaio Sarna Dharma code, or a domicile policy (brought in by the JMM-led government), a crime? Is bringing back the labourers who had to fend for themselves (during Covid) a crime?” she said.
Linking it to tribal sentiments, Kalpana said: “A Jharkhandi working for the people of Jharkhand has been jailed, and it means our pride has been played with.”
The leader who is a confidant of the Sorens says Kalpana pushed all the right buttons. “Jo political leader kisi ke kandhe pe haath rakh ke usse baat kare, usey communicator kehte hain. Aur jo vyakti ek achchi speech de, usey orator kehte hain. Kalpana Murmu mein woh donon baate hain (A political leader who can talk to people with her arms around their shoulders is a communicator. One who can give a good speech is an orator. Kalpana has both the qualities).”
Originally from Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, Kalpana is an engineer and an MBA degree holder, who runs a school in Ranchi and teaches – credentials that are holding her in good stead at this time. Hemant and she got married in 2006 and have two sons.
Around the time that Hemant was expected to be arrested, there was strong speculation that he would name her as CM in his place. However, the JMM leader eventually played it safe, and not risking resentment from within family and party ranks, picked veteran party leader Champai Soren for the post.
Hence, many were taken by surprise at Kalpana’s post on March 3 on X that she was taking the political plunge. She said that she would stay in public life till Hemant was released, “to be his voice and share his thoughts with the people”.
Since her first speech the day later, she has addressed two more public gatherings.
Party leaders talk about a sense of enthusiasm among cadres, who have been struggling to keep spirits up as the elections draw near and Champai is seen as lacking the charisma to take on the BJP. Shibu, who could have stepped in, is old and ailing.
JMM leaders say that not only is Kalpana a good speaker, which took them by pleasant surprise, but “equally good in English, Hindi, Odia and Bengali”.
JMM leaders say that while it is debatable whether Kalpana’s skills will translate into votes in the parliamentary elections or the year-end Assembly polls, her presence will surely “charge up the cadre across the state”.
A source says that Hemant did well in not naming Kalpana straight to the CM’s post, and that now that she has the opportunity, “she should get acquainted with the people and politics of the state, especially the women, who are the silent voters”.
Women voters are in fact a big factor in the coming elections, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading from the front on this, linking his government’s schemes to their betterment.
The JMM source says that Kalpana has made a start with Giridih, where the party was founded, meeting people specifically in the Gandey Assembly constituency, which has been talked about as the seat she could contest from. The people seem to connect with her, the leader says enthusiastically.
A JMM MLA, wishing anonymity, however, cautions that in any succession, the claimant has to be both accepted within the party and by the people. “When Shibu Soren was losing his touch due to his health issues, and Hemant Soren was rising, various political leaders initially objected to it in close circles… But what we saw was how the low-rung political leaders and people accepted him quickly,” the MLA points out.
According to the MLA, the grass-root workers are right now seething at Hemant’s arrest, and this is where Kalpana can cash in. “Maamla ab sentiment se juda hai. Kisi ki aukat nahin toofan ke saamne khada hone ki (Now it’s about sentiments. There is no force that can stand in the way of this storm).”
However, others point out that it’s premature to declare her as having settled the battle, and that even senior JMM leaders might not take too kindly to accepting a relative greenhorn as a leader. “Although Champai Soren has been a loyalist, when people get power, one never knows how things unfold. Challenge can also come from Kalpana’s family members, i.e. Basant Soren and Sita Soren.”
Sources in the JMM say that while Sita is “not happy” about Kalpana’s rising profile, the two Sorens realise that the more important thing right now is to focus on winning the elections.
“Some say that Basant Soren, who was last month sworn in as minister, and Champai may shake things up. However, they don’t have the support base or the popularity to pull this off,” another leader says.
Both the allies of the JMM as well as the opposition BJP, which gave toppling the government a shot, are watching the developments with interest.
On Kalpana “hitting it off” with people, Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Binay Kumar Singh says that the time of “family-based stardom and politics” and “caste- and creed-based politics” is passe. “Now it is about the needs and aspirations of the electorate,” he says, adding that the Modi government has fulfilled many of those with its direct benefit transfer initiatives.
Claiming that the buzz being built around Kalpana is managed and manipulated, Singh adds that the situation is not the same as when Shibu Soren was arrested, and people still believed in him. “Now, when Hemant Soren is in jail, their voters too see the footprints of their corruption.”
Sources in the BJP hint at allegations against Kalpana herself, particularly over the alleged ownership of a controversial banquet hall. “If Kalpana becomes a problem, that can come up,” a source says.
The Congress’s Ranchi Mahanagar president, Kumar Raja, welcomes the warm reception to Kalpana. “The JMM and Congress had won the 2019 Assembly elections based on issues surrounding the uprooting of tribal population. With Hemant Soren jailed as part of a conspiracy, Kalpana Soren has been able to make a connection. She understands Jharkhand and tribal sentiments. It has also renewed Congress ranks.”
While there are Congress leaders who have been uncomfortable with the Hemant-led government’s focus on schemes helping build the JMM’s tribal base, they too note that the situation has changed. “Hemant is now seen as the man who has taken on the BJP, and who refused to bow down, when so many others have done so in the recent past,” a leader points out.
Meanwhile, Kalpana’s most recent speech was on Thursday, on the occasion of the Jharkhand government approving two years of child care leave for government women workers. Addressing women members of the Jharkhand Officers’, Teachers’ and Employees’ Federation, Kalpana said this facility should be extended to women in the non-government sector as well.
“You have to fight your own fight, no one will do that for you. My struggle is also related to this… Aap Phulo Jhano (part of the first organised rebellion against the Britishers in 1855) bhi ban sakti hain, Kalpana Chawla bhi (You can become Phulo Jhano, and be like Kalpana Chawla),” she said. “Or, even Kalpana Soren.”
