To win family feud, Hemant ‘ready’ to see sister-in-law lose

However, Sita’s relationship with the family has reportedly soured. She does not get along with Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who emerged as Shibu Soren’s political heir following Durga’s death.

Sita, one of the main accused in the 2012 Rajya Sabha horse-trading case, was absconding in a related assault case from December 2012 to February this year. She was in jail till September and is currently out on bail. Throughout this period, the JMM leadership reportedly did not help her with the case.

In 2009, there were rumours that Hemant, following his 2005 defeat in Dumka, wanted to contest from the safe seat Jama. However, Sita refused to concede. This time too, Shibu Soren’s youngest son Basant wanted to contest from Jama, but Sita reportedly threatened to wash dirty linen in public and contest as an Independent or defect to another party.

The JMM leadership has responded by taking a lukewarm approach towards campaigning for her. The party is reportedly willing to let BJP win from Jama so that Sita can be denied the safe seat in the next election.

Shibu Soren visited the constituency for the first time on Tuesday, less than two days before campaigning ends for the fifth phase. He spoke for less than five minutes at Shikarpur village in Nachnagriya panchayat. “There is nothing special to talk about,” he began and added: “Jharkhand continues to have the same problems of old.”

Sita, however,denied a rift within the family: “We are all standing together as one to defeat the BJP. “The CM has already held two public meetings within my constituency. The party is doing everything possible to support me.