Ranchi: Despite the cries against dynasty politics in Jharkhand, the state now has a power couple: Hemant and Kalpana Soren. Together, they are poised to strengthen Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the INDIA bloc in the upcoming assembly polls.
Present partners in politics
Apart from the husband-wife Soren duo, another example is Himachal Pradesh chief minister Kamlesh Thakur and Sukhvinder Singh Shukhu, who are both members of the same assembly house. In the 18th Lok Sabha, Akhilesh Yadav and Dimple Yadav were notable for both being elected to the lower house of the Indian parliament.
However, the story of Hemant and Kalpana Soren is different from all other power couples in Indian political history.
Not the usual power couple
Kalpana Soren, not your typical power couple member, entered politics during a crisis in her party.
She won her first election, a bypoll from Gandey assembly segment, when her husband, the former chief minister of Jharkhand was in jail.
Kalpana Soren married Hemant Soren some 18 years ago. She remained a homemaker, nurturing their two children.
Political observers have noted that Kalpana Soren, who speaks four languages—Hindi, English, Santhali, and Odia—and holds an MBA, is a skilled orator. As an empowered woman, Kalpana Soren not only contested her election but also campaigned for INDIA bloc candidates across all fourteen Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand in the absence of the party’s working president, Hemant Soren. The alliance improved its tally from 2 to 5 in the state.
The power of two
For any political party, the synergy between two individuals is more effective. And it is time for Jharkhand Mukti Morcha to get the benefits of husband-wife duo.
Recently, after taking oath as chief minister, Hemant Soren toured Delhi and met President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sonia Gandhi and Sunita Kerjriwal. Kalpana Soren was with Hemant Soren while meeting everyone, except PM Modi. The duo also toured Varanasi.
Hemant Soren, who had single-handedly campaigned in the 2019 assembly election for Gathbandhan, now has a leader, who can accompany him or even run the party’s campaign separately. Hemant Soren can campaign along with Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav while Kalpana can team up with Priyanka Gandhi and Sunita Kejriwal and help sail through the INDIA bloc in the state.
It would be interesting to watch how the JMM or INDIA bloc use the couple during the assembly polls.
