Jharkhand assembly polls: Dinesh William Marandi to contest as independent after JMM ticket snub

BRAJESH VERMA

Littipara, Oct 24: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has stirred controversy in the Santhal Pargana region by giving a ticket to Hemlal Murmu instead of its sitting MLA from Littipara, Dinesh William Marandi. Now, Dinesh William Marandi will contest as an independent candidate from Littipara. In a conversation with the media, he accused Chief Minister Hemant Soren of engaging in dynastic politics.

However, it is worth noting that in the previous assembly elections, Dinesh William Marandi himself was given a ticket by JMM due to dynastic politics. His father, Simon Marandi, had also been an MLA from Littipara for JMM. Although Simon Marandi’s political career was not stable, he had been with JMM supremo Shibu Soren since the separate state movement. He had switched between the Congress and BJP camps during his career.

The Littipara Assembly constituency lies between Dumka and Pakur districts, where there is a large population of Christian Adivasis. Additionally, in the past two decades, the Paharia tribal community has embraced Christianity, giving this region a distinct political identity. This is why from the beginning, Simon Marandi, his wife Sushila Hansda, their son Dinesh William Marandi, and another leader, Anil Murmu, all followed Christianity. After the passing of Simon, Anil Murmu, and Sushila Hansda, Littipara was represented by Dinesh William Marandi.

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However, this time, Chief Minister Hemant Soren has taken a new political path in Littipara. He has given his party’s ticket to Hemlal Murmu, a former dissident leader of the party. Some time ago, Hemlal Murmu left JMM and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP gave him opportunities to contest elections from Rajmahal parliamentary constituency and Barhet assembly seat multiple times, but he could not win. Hemlal was also one of Shibu Soren’s early companions.

With Hemlal Murmu entering the fray in Littipara, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s electoral politics in the region has become complicated. Dinesh William Marandi, whose family had a political legacy in the area, questioned why only Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s family should be allowed to contest elections. He remarked that Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Murmu, and his brother Basant Soren are not the sole owners of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.

In protest over losing his ticket, Marandi announced that he would run as an independent candidate from Littipara. If he contests as an independent, the Littipara Assembly seat election will take a very interesting turn. However, Hemlal Murmu has asserted that an independent candidate will have no impact on Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.