Shibu Soren's death marks the end of a revolutionary chapter in Jharkhand's politics.
Hemant Soren inherits his political mantle, the real challenge lies ahead.
Hemant now stands at a crossroads—to either become a custodian of his father's vision or risk fading into conventional politics.
After the death of Shibu Soren, intense debate has erupted over the future direction of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the broader sentiments within Jharkhand's political landscape. Experts like tribal writer Gladson Dungdung and social activist Aloka Kujur believe that Shibu Soren was not merely a politician, he was a movement, a people's leader. A leader whose roots were firmly embedded in the soil of farmers and labourers, and in their struggle for rights.
According to them, after Jaipal Singh Munda, if any leader came to embody the spirit of Adivasi consciousness, it was Dishom Guru Shibu Soren. The massive crowd and the outpouring of emotion witnessed in Nemra, Ramgarh district, stand as testimony to the deep connection people felt with Guruji. His legacy, many believe, could help JMM forge a renewed mass base in the coming days especially in the Santhal region. However, amid all this, significant challenges loom large.
But a pressing question looms: will this love, reverence, and faith extend to his son Hemant Soren and the party he left behind?
After the cremation, Hemant Soren tweeted emotionally, “Baba, your son will fulfill your dreams. I will honour every promise I made to you.”
Writer Vinod Kumar, who has authored a novel based on Shibu Soren’s political life and grassroots struggles, notes, “Guruji dreamt of a Jharkhand where greenery would survive, and tribal land wouldn’t be looted. These core concerns remain major challenges for Hemant today. He has four years left in office, and addressing them will be no small task.”
Vinod refers to issues Hemant raised as Opposition leader before the 2019 elections—issues he promised to address, like implementing the Forest Rights Act, abolishing the land bank created under the Raghubar Das government, releasing the 2 million acres of land absorbed into it, and strictly enforcing the PESA Act. These matters are central to tribal rights, yet six years later, little concrete action has been taken.
Land rights are a thread that tie Hemant back to his father’s legacy. Shibu Soren’s strength in electoral politics came from his connection to such grassroots issues.
To understand how Hemant might carry forward this legacy, we must first understand Shibu Soren’s journey.
Born on January 11, 1944, in Nemra village (now in Ramgarh), Shibu Soren’s childhood was marked by hardship. His father, Shobharan Soren, a teacher, was murdered by landlords and moneylenders over a land dispute on November 27, 1957. This incident became the defining moment of his life.
Soren launched a movement in tribal regions against "Dhanakads"—a term for non-tribal landlords and moneylenders. Between 1965 and 1970, he led the “Dhan Katni” movement against bonded labour, encouraging tribal youth to harvest crops from lands illegally occupied by moneylenders. In many cases, he succeeded in restoring land to tribal owners. Until 1970, his entire struggle focused on reclaiming tribal land. Later, until 1995, he was at the forefront of the movement for a separate Jharkhand state.
Most tribal leaders in post-Independence Jharkhand belonged to elite classes, and their calls for statehood rarely extended beyond drawing rooms and memorandums. But Shibu Soren transformed this demand into a grassroots struggle that directly involved the people. Where Jaipal Singh Munda had envisioned a separate state, it was Shibu Soren who achieved it through agitation.
There are clear distinctions between Soren and Jaipal Singh Munda. While Munda negotiated at the table, Soren fought on the ground. Munda’s efforts had limited impact on the powers-that-be; Soren's, however, inspired real fear.
Some believe glimpses of Shibu Soren’s combative spirit surfaced in Hemant Soren during moments of adversity. On January 31, 2024, Hemant was jailed in a land-linked money laundering case. When he was released on bail after five months, discussions about his political rise intensified. It was said that his stature as a tribal leader had expanded from a state-level figure to a national one. Though he inherited his father’s political legacy, maintaining his own identity required serious political battles.
On February 5, 2024, Hemant addressed the Assembly for 24 minutes. Despite just coming out of jail, there was no sign of political pressure in his demeanor. Speaking from ED custody during the vote of confidence, he delivered a fiery speech attacking the BJP, accusing it of being anti-tribal. His bold language, including accusations of treating Adivasis as untouchables and wanting to wipe them out, sparked debates across the state.
But this courage was underpinned by his identity as the son of a legendary agitator—Dishom Guru Shibu Soren. It was Comrade A.K. Roy who once called Shibu Soren the “Lenin of Jharkhand” because of his revolutionary zeal.
Undoubtedly, Soren’s death has left a vacuum in Jharkhand. But the greatest loss is perhaps to his party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and this presents a significant challenge for Hemant Soren.
This challenge must be understood on two levels: electoral politics and the party’s ideological foundations. On the political front, Shibu Soren had become less active in recent years due to health issues. It was during this phase that the transition of power within JMM took place with unusual smoothness—a rarity in Indian politics. Hemant emerged as the undisputed leader and was widely accepted.
Under his leadership, JMM fought two Assembly elections and significantly expanded its reach. From 18 seats, Hemant took the party to 30 seats in 2019 and 34 seats in 2024—its highest tally yet. The party’s vote share also rose from 18.7% to 23.4%.
Election analysts say JMM has now consolidated its position to the point where no government can be formed in Jharkhand without it.
Analyst Sudhir Pal says, “The trust JMM has built in recent years won’t erode easily. Hemant is seen as a mature leader. His wife Kalpana Soren is also a charismatic campaigner and crowd-puller. Above all, the Soren family remains the most trusted face among tribals. All of this will benefit JMM moving forward—but challenges do remain.”
Sudhir adds that the real test lies in how Hemant addresses core issues like displacement, land rights, and preserving Adivasi identity—while pushing forward a model of development. “If he does that successfully, his stature will rise even further—but none of it will be easy.”
Adivasi writer Gladson Dungdung says, “After Jaipal Singh Munda, if there’s been a true tribal leader, it’s Guruji. And I don’t think we’ll see anyone like him again.”
As for the political future of JMM, Gladson believes the emotional turnout in Nemra shows the party’s influence will only grow. “Especially in Santhal, people still carry Guruji’s image and the symbol of the bow and arrow in their hearts. After his passing, their emotional attachment will deepen. You’ll see—any major scheme Hemant Soren launches will now be in Guruji’s name. It will bolster Adivasi sentiment toward JMM. Just as ‘Har Har Modi’ echoed across India, a similar wave will rise for Hemant Soren in Jharkhand.”
Gladson also believes that the BJP won’t rush to target the Soren family unless JMM makes a serious misstep.
For now, the political future of JMM will continue to be debated—but what’s visible in the present is the personal loss Hemant Soren and his family are facing after Shibu Soren’s demise.
Activist Aloka Kujur illustrates Guruji’s greatness with examples: “Post-Independence leaders like Jaipal Singh Munda or Anni Horo formed parties and spoke of Jharkhand, but their movements never started with the farmers and labourers. They remained limited to elite circles. Dishom Guru Shibu Soren didn’t even form a party initially. His fight began directly from the issues faced by common people—farmers and labourers whose lands were being usurped by moneylenders. That’s what Guruji fought for. His struggle started from Ramgarh’s Gola and Dhanbad’s Tundi and spread across Santhal, Chotanagpur, and Kolhan.”
Shibu Soren’s death marks the end of a revolutionary chapter in Jharkhand’s tribal politics. While his son Hemant Soren inherits his political mantle, the real challenge lies ahead—translating that emotional legacy into action on core tribal issues like land rights, displacement, and identity. With public sentiment strongly in JMM’s favor, Hemant now stands at a crossroads—to either become a custodian of his father's vision or risk fading into conventional politics.
