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JMM registers third split

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Soren has formally split with a section of its dissident leaders led by former general secretary Sudhir Mahato and central secretary Prabhakar Tirkey joining hands with the JMM-Mardi to float a new political party, the Akhil Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.

The Mardi faction led by Krishna Mardi of the JMM, thus, ceases to exist.

According to Tirkey, the new initiative taken at Jamshedpur on Tuesday is aimed at bringing together the fragmented pro-Jharkhand state forces.

Tirkey said a three-day conference of the new political party has been convened from February 26 to deliberate on its future course of action.

He claimed that the people had rejected the leadership of Morcha president Shibu Soren and vice-president Suraj Mandal.

This is the third split in the JMM since its inception in 1972. The first split saw the formation of the JMM-Binod faction by its founder leader Binod Behari Mahato.

In 1992, the Morcha led by Shibu Soren had split vertically with the formation of Morcha-Mardi.

Among those present at Tuesday's meeting were Krishna Mardi, Teklal Mahato, Shiva Mahato, Arjun Ram, Sudhir Mahato and Surya Singh Besra.

Tirkey said the meeting also decided to constitute a steering committee and a constitution draft committee. He called upon all Jharkhand parties to join the Akkhi Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and stand unitedly against the ''communal, casteist and opportunist'' forces vitiating the region's strong social and cultural traditions.

UNI

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