'It was my late husband Durga Soren (Hemant Soren's elder brother) who built the party and strengthened it.'
'It was due to his strengthening efforts that we have today a JMM government in the state.'
Sita Soren, former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren's sister-in-law, speaks to Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com about the political crisis in the state.
With the Enforcement Directorate arresting your brother-in-law Hemant Soren, do you think the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha can provide a stable government?
I can't comment about what the scene is in Jharkhand because I am in Delhi right now. I was supposed to reach there by 10 am today, but due to bad weather my flight has been diverted to Kolkata.
Until I reach Ranchi and speak with party MLAs I won't be able to comment anything on the issue.
Why were you opposed to Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana Soren as the next chief minister of the state?
The scene has now changed completely after the name of Champai Soren has been finalised. It will be better if we don't discuss what happened in the past.
Are you satisfied with Champai Soren being in the fray for being the next chief minister of Jharkhand?
The party has taken that decision and I will not comment on it.
Do you think the BJP will not allow Champai Soren to become chief minister of Jharkhand? Do you see chances of horse-trading in the state now?
Politics main bohot kuch hota hai; ab is scene ke baad hum kya bolen ki kya honewala hai, kya hone ke chances hai? (Politics is the art of possible and after Hemant Soren's arrest by the ED, how can I predict what is likely to happen in Jharkhand?)
Let me reach Ranchi first, only then will I be able to speak openly and clearly.
What role will you play in Jharkhand's politics now? Do you believe you should have been elected chief minister instead of Champai Soren?
You can go to Jharkhand and ask the masses there. What can I say about it myself?
I have always led the fight for Jharkhand's progress from the front and it is because of my fight that I have reached where I am today.
It was my late husband Durga Soren (Hemant Soren's elder brother) who built the party and strengthened it. It was due to his strengthening efforts that we have today a JMM government in the state. My husband fought a long battle for the development of Jharkhand.
But the only pain is we couldn't yet fulfil my husband's dream of making Jharkhand like Japan. Unfortunately, after him, I did not get any chance of being in the cabinet and help Jharkhand become like Japan.
Jharkhand has always been unfortunate ever since its birth and we have been ignored by everybody (at the Centre).
Given your 14-year stint and experience as an MLA, do you feel you are the right person to become the chief minister of Jharkhand?
My feelings or opinions don't matter. When you are part of such a big party ,then you have to follow the rules and regulations adopted by the party, through which the organisation and all its elected representatives are governed.
The party will take a wise decision based on who is the most meritorious to become the chief minister.
Why were you not present at the meeting of JMM MLAs called by Hemant Soren the night before he was arrested?
The ED cases against him have been dragging for more than six months. I had never thought that we would reach such a stage ever (that the chief minister would be arrested).
My daughter, who is based out of Delhi, was going through some problems so I had to come to Delhi to attend to those problems. I did not expect the state to face such a big crisis.
I was scheduled to fly to Durgapur today. I had to attend Jharkhand Diwas, a big festive event celebrated every year, but I couldn't even attend as my flight was delayed due to bad weather.
But since such a big event (Hemant Soren's arrest) happened I decided to directly go to Ranchi. Here too, the weather is so bad that my flight got diverted to Kolkata.
Do you think the ED is acting at the behest of the BJP, like many Opposition parties feel, and has arrested Hemant Soren to form a government in the state?
I would not like to make any comments on this issue at this moment. I also don't want to offer any comment on the ED cases (against Hemant Soren) because I have never been even remotely related to all this (the ED's action against Hemant Soren).
I was always busy with my constituency work. I don't have any clue what has or has not happened (in the ED cases against her brother-in-law).
Do you think Hemant Soren will emerge unscathed? What are you in the family and party doing to ensure his release?
Hemantji has been the CM of Jharkhand and he has been in touch with all the top most lawyers in the country. It is this battery of lawyers who will take care of the legal matters related to this case and fight it out in court.
Do you believe Hemant Soren has been arrested on false charges?
I don't want to make any comments on this issue.
