Anjani Soren, the daughter of JMM patriarch Shibu Soren and sister of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, is leading the party’s revival efforts in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district. Despite facing challenges such as frequent defections and a short tenure in politics, Soren remains determined to make JMM a force in the region.
In an exclusive interview, Soren expressed her commitment to upholding the JMM flag high in Odisha, where her husband, the late Debananda Marandi, hailed from. She is contesting both the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha and Saraskana Assembly seats with support from the Congress.
Soren’s political journey began in 2017 when she contested the zilla parishad elections and later the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Mayurbhanj, finishing third. She hopes to perform better this time.
Despite the proximity of her in-laws’ home to President Droupadi Murmu, Soren does not believe that Murmu’s influence will significantly impact her campaign. She maintains that the BJP’s decision to elect a tribal woman as President was primarily aimed at garnering tribal votes and has not brought tangible benefits to the people.
Soren has been actively working to revive the JMM in Odisha, which has seen a decline in its support base due to defections. She believes that many of those who have left the party have done so for personal gain rather than ideological reasons.
Soren is also closely monitoring the ongoing political developments in Jharkhand, where her brother, Hemant Soren, is facing legal challenges. She believes that the charges against him are politically motivated and have resonated with voters in the tribal-dominated region of Odisha.
Despite the challenges, Soren is confident in the JMM’s support base among the poor and unemployed in Mayurbhanj. She is not pushing for the demand for a separate statehood by merging Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh districts of Odisha with Jharkhand.
Soren’s opponents in the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha constituency include Sudam Marndi, State’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister and Biju Janata Dal leader, who was elected to Lok Sabha from Mayurbhanj on JMM ticket in 2004, and Naba Charan Majhi, a BJP candidate who also has roots in the JMM movement.
