JMM takes protest route to overcome Rajya Sabha setback

Ranchi: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the state's largest opposition party, has taken to protests to overcome the setbacks it suffered in the recently held Rajya Sabha election. On Saturday, it organized protests across the state as an assertion of power.
JMM leaders in Jamshedpur, Saraikela Kharsawa, Dumka, Dhanbad, Bokaro and in other districts staged dharnas where the ire was directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state's BJP government.
Party leader Antu Tirkey said at a dharna in Ranchi that BJP leaders have been claiming that the country is witnessing a change. "I interact with so many people. I have not come across a single person who is happy or at least able to see the change the BJP leaders are talking about," he said.
"The day the common man starts witnessing the change, we will agree that the country is changing," a leader said.
JMM is in need of more such protests to revive the enthusiasm of party leaders, who are in low spirits after their Rajya Sabha nominee, party chief Shibu Soren's son Basant Soren, was defeated.
A political observer said the defeat was not one JMM's alone, but also the defeat of the united opposition. All other parties, including Congress, JVM-P and the Left parties had agreed to support the JMM candidate.
JMM has decided to hold a large meeting of its party leaders, the JMM executive committee meeting, on July 11.
"Around 500 leaders from across the state will participate in the meeting to chalk out further course of action," party spokesperson Vinod Pandey said.