9 years on, Hemlal rejoins JMM

Dumka: After nearly nine years, veteran tribal leader Hemlal Murmu rejoined JMM on Tuesday in the presence of chief minister Hemant Soren in Barhet. He had joined BJP in the run-up to parliamentary polls in 2014 and since then he was given tickets thrice by BJP to contest both Lok Sabha and assembly polls, but could not win the hearts of voters in Santhal Pargana. Since then, he was being sidelined in BJP.Hemlal’s son, Vikash Murmu, who is the office bearer of the BJP’s youth wing, also joined JMM along with nearly 4,000 supporters.“We have got a good leader in the Rajmahal Lok Sabha constituency which will strengthen the party,” said the CM, who along with Rajmahal JMM MP Vijay Hansdak formally greeted Hemlal with a party flag in the presence of thousands of tribals gathered at Panchkathiya where tribal heroes were martyred by the British in the aftermath of the Santhal Hul (rebellion) of 1855.Speculations about Hemlal’s move to return to the JMM fold were high ever since the BJP flag was found removed from his home for the past one month and his proximity to the tribal party since he was spotted in a programme attended by the chief minister in Pakur in November 2022. Having represented the Barhet assembly seat for three times which is now represented by Soren himself, Hemlal was a two-time JMM MP from Rajmahal before joining the BJP just before the 2014 general elections. Subsequently, he lost all polls, including two parliamentary elections from Rajmahal and Littipara byelection in 2017 as a BJP nominee.“I am glad to have returned home and can now serve the people more actively,” said Hemlal.