BARIPADA: In a calculated move to consolidate its position ahead of the 2024 general election, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has decided on Anjani Soren as its candidate for the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat.
This decision follows careful deliberation within the party, particularly in the light of ongoing discussions for a potential coalition with the Congress and candidates fielded by the BJP and BJD.
Spokesperson of JMM Shivaji Moulik told TNIE that the party has already decided on Anjani to contest for Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat after a recent meeting. Her name will soon be officially declared.
On the possibility of alliances with Congress and other parties, Moulik said the discussion is underway. “Chief Minister of Jharkhand Champai Soren had suggested her name in the last meeting,” he added.
Anjani, currently president of JMM’s Odisha unit, brings with her a legacy deeply rooted in the state’s political scenario. As daughter of former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren and the sister of former Chhattisgarh CM Hemant Soren, she is committed to furthering her family’s political legacy while also championing the interests of the tribal communities she represents.
Wife of late Debananda Marndi, a resident of a tiny village Ghadadega within Kusumi block in Mayurbhanj district, Anjani completed Intermediate of Arts in 2009, as per her nomination paper filed in 2019.
Inspired by her father and brother’s dedication to the JMM cause, she joined the party in 2019 and quickly assumed leadership roles within the organisation. Her decision to enter politics was motivated by a desire to address the longstanding challenges faced by tribal communities, including inadequate access to healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
“When I joined politics, I saw that tribal people are facing many problems like healthcare, education, road connectivity, electrification, water supply and Forest Rights Act. The district was also neglected as far as railway connectivity, industrial development and job opportunities are concerned,” said Anjani.
By leveraging her experience as a social worker and her brief stint in the financial sector, Anjani aims to bridge the gap between policy-making and grassroots realities, particularly in the underdeveloped tribal belts of Mayurbhanj. Despite facing strong opponents in previous election, Anjani has remained steadfast in her commitment to fight the polls this year.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, she contested from the Mayurbhanj constituency and secured 11.78% of the vote share, positioning herself as a strong contender in a fiercely contested electoral battle dominated by the BJP and BJD.