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All eyes are on Hemant Soren, the most favoured chief ministerial candidate in Jharkhand, as the Opposition’s JMM-Congress-RJD alliance seems set to win the Assembly elections in the state with a lead of 43 seats.
Son of three-time Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren, Hemant (44) is the working president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and has himself served as the youngest chief minister of the state from July 2013 to December 2014.
A tribal leader from Dumka, Soren had led a coalition government, preceded by President’s Rule in the state – imposed after JMM withdrew support from the Arjun Munda-led BJP government. Soren had served as a deputy CM for Munda.
This time, Soren is contesting from two seats – Barhait and Dumka and is leading in both. The three-party opposition alliance in Jharkhand is leading in 47 of the 81 assembly seats, while the ruling BJP has bagged one constituency and was ahead in 23, according to the latest trends available on the Election Commission website.
Soren was elected an MLA from Dumka in 2009 but was defeated by Lois Marandi in the 2014 election.
He is currently a member of the Legislative Assembly, representing Barhait Assembly under Dumka district in Santhal Pargana region in Jharkhand.
Hemant has briefly been a Rajya Sabha MP from June 2009 to January 2010.
In January, Hemant spearheaded the talks with Opposition parties – Congress, JVM-P and RJD – to seal an alliance, making Jharkhand the first state where a mahagathbandhan materialised.
Before the elections, he campaigned against the proposed amendments to the pro-tribal tenancy laws, accused the BJP of raising emotive issues such as nationalism to divert attention from their "misrule" and asserted that the elections will be fought on state issues such as land acquisition and unemployment.
Hemant Soren also said that if voted to power, his government will give 50 per cent reservation to women in government jobs, something that he had brought in during his brief stint as the Chief Minister earlier.
Personal Background
Hemant was born in Nemara in Ramgarh district, Jharkhand to Roopi and Shibu Soren. He did his schooling from Patna High School and also pursued engineering from BIT Mesra. However, due to political disturbances and family hazards, he was unable to complete his degree.
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