Shibu Soren, former Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM founder, dies at 81.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren Passes Away At Age 81

Shibu Soren, the legend of Jharkhand politics and a powerful figure in India in the region context is no more at the ripe age of 81. His demise represents a shift or an end of an era and his legacy is so great that it influenced politico-social landscape of Jharkhand over five decades. Popularly called Guruji, Soren was not just a politician, also a figure to the hopes and grievances of the tribal people, an unwavering supporter of their rights, and the most ardent initiator of the state of Jharkhand.

Soren started his politicking in 1970s which was based on the combat against exploitation of the tribal people by money lenders and land grabbers. In 1972, together with two other people, he started the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which identified itself with the statehood movement. His passionate oratory, steadfastness and the commitment to the struggle endeared him to the multitude and gave him an almost mythical status. As the head of JMM, he changed the movement, turning it into a significant political force, which caused a challenge to the existing regime and allowed the voice to the marginalized. His political life was the ride of ups and downs. He was the Chief Minister of Jharkhand three times, though he was never a full term office holder. Prone to political unrest, his times in office were also characterised by noteworthy policy endeavours to the welfare of tribes, land rights, local languages and local culture. He was a Member of Parliament of long standing, representing a number of constituencies and even got a stint as a Union Cabinet Minister in the UPA government.

His gift for political strategy allowed him to form alliances in the often-fractious world of coalition politics and act like a kingmaker. He was much more than a political figure. He was a proponent of tribal continuity by means of traditional art forms and songs, and his life’s work brought attention to a group of people who needed it in Jharkhand. He clearly had personal difficulties, legal challenges, and political challenges, but his life was mostly about how overcoming those challenges – a tenacity viewed in him almost as a genetic trait.

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Soren’s passing is an enormous loss for Jharkhand and Indian politics. His aim to shift society in the direction that acknowledges and protects Indigenous people’s rights will have a lasting legacy for future generations. The party that Soren founded and that has been propelled by Hemant Soren as head party leader has an enormous responsibility to lead. While Jharkhand, and indeed the nation mourns the loss of their “Guruji,” we are left with a very positive message in Soren and how we viewed his life’s work: be tenacious, fight for what you believe in, and to be a leader who deeply understood his people.

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