Sibu Soren, former Jharkhand CM and JMM founder, died on Monday, his son and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said. The death of the 81-year-old leader marks the end of a political era that saw the tribal movement rise to national prominence. Shibu Soren was undergoing treatment at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi for over a month for kidney-related problems.
Three-day state mourning announced
The Jharkhand government announced a three-day state mourning after the demise of JMM founding patron and former CM Shibu Soren. The Jharkhand Assembly was on Monday adjourned sine die as a mark of respect to former chief minister Shibu Soren, who died in the morning, Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto said.
Shibu Soren was declared dead at 8:56 am
Shibu Soren was declared dead at 8:56 am on Monday by the hospital. Shibu Soren was suffering from kidney ailment, and had suffered a stroke one and a half months back. He was on a life support system for one month.
Here's Hemant Soren said
Taking to X, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said, "Respected Dishom Guruji has left us all... I have become 'shunya' (zero) today."
Shibu (81) has been receiving regular treatment at the hospital for an extended period.
"He was admitted recently, so we came to see him. His health issues are currently being examined," Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had said on June 24 when his father was admitted.
Shibu Soren: Know all about the JMM leader
Shibu Soren has been the leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha for the past 38 years and is recognised as the party's founding patron.
In a four-decade career in politics, Shibu Soren was elected to the Lok Sabha eight times and served as a Rajya Sabha MP for two terms, the second ongoing.
One of the members of the Santhal community, Shibu Soren was born in the Ramgarh district, which was then part of Bihar.
Later he linked up with Leftist trade union leader AK Roy and Kurmi Mahato leader Binod Bihari Mahato to form the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in 1972.
It should be noted that he was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 from Dumka, which later turned into a stronghold of the JMM. However, he suffered defeat at his bastion in 2019, when the BJP's Nalin Soren won by a margin of over 45,000 votes.
