JMM's Kalpana Soren leads INDIA Bloc's women campaign in J'khand

New Delhi: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress have found a new star campaigner in Kalpana Soren, chief minister Hemant Soren's wife, and the alliance is using her especially to connect with women voters ahead of the assembly election.

The BJP has introduced a battery of leaders in the state, right from PM Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. During the Parivartan Yatra, Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma and MP CM Mohan Yadav also held public meetings in the state. In comparison, the INDIA bloc is relying on Hemant Soren and a team of women leaders led by Kalpana Soren.

On September 23, Kalpana started the 'Maiya Samman Yatra' with state ministers Bebi Devi and Dipika Pandey Singh accompanying her, making it an all-woman team. They have so far covered Palamu and Kolhan divisions of the state and plan to campaign in the remaining three divisions as well. It's been over a week and the trio has done more than 50 public meetings, Jan Samvad and Ratri Choupal programmes.


"During the day we participate in public meetings and interact with women trying to know the problems they face in getting the benefit of government schemes. There are 50 lakh beneficiaries of Maiya Samman scheme, and we plan to connect with all of them," Dipika Pandey Singh told ET.

"I am representing the Congress in the yatra." The three leaders have interacted with college going girls, students of Kasturba Gandhi School and women self-help groups, among others.