Dumka: Sibu Soren has been
re-elected unopposed as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha president
for the seventh time in a row at the party`s ongoing
convention here.
Soren, who took over as the party chief for the first
time after the then president Nirmal Mahto was gunned down in
August 1987 in Jamshedpur, called upon the party rank and file
to remain united and resolve differences.
Noting that government officials in the state were not
discharging their duties sincerely, the former Chief Minister
regretted that the people of mineral-rich Jharkhand were poor
due to lack of development and advocated Panchayat elections
in the state.
Several other states which procured minerals including
coal from Jharkhand "have prospered", he said.
Senior party leader and former minister of state Hemlal
Murmu later said JMM decided to field its candidate in 85
seats in the forthcoming assembly election in Bihar.
Besides, the party has also decided to intensify the
demand for `Greater Jharkhand` comprising tribal-dominated
parts of West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar, apart from Jharkhand,
he told reporters.
JMM also pledged to ensure that no starvation deaths
would take place in the face of famine-like situation due to
scanty rainfall this year and promise a corruption-free
government.
Murmu said an apex body of the party `Sarvoch Sangathan
Sanchalan-sah-Salakar Parishad`, to run the
organization-cum-advisory council, was formed after making an
amendment in the party`s constitution.
Hemant Soren, the Deputy Chief Minister of Jharkhand,
will be the Chairman of the new body, which also consists of
members-cum-senior party leaders Champai Soren, Sudhir Mahto,
Nalin Soren, Haji Hussain Ansari, Mathura Prasad Mahto, Suprio
Bhattacharjee, Phago Besra and Shashank Shekhar Bhogta, he
PTI
