Dumka (Jharkhand), September 22: 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.
–Agencies