George Tirkey to rejoin JMM

ROURKELA: For political survival, Independent MLA of Birmitrapur and firebrand tribal leader George Tirkey is all set to return to his parent party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). With Tirkey, the JMM too hopes to regain lost ground in the tribal-dominated Sundargarh district.

Tirkey is likely to join JMM with his supporters in Ranchi on Tuesday evening. However, JMM has shut the door on his two close aides, ex-MLA Halu Mundari and former Zilla Parishad (ZP) member Letha Tirkey.  

Tirkey’s joining the JMM assumes significance in the wake of party losing its base in Sundargarh, bordering Jharkhand, due to leadership crisis. Similarly, Tirkey is facing stiff competition from rivals without support of any political outfit.

Tirkey is worried after the poor performance of his candidates in ZP polls in his stranglehold of Birmitrapur Assembly constituency. Tirkey had won the Birmitrapur seat in 1995 and 2000 and after formation of separate Jharkhand State, he joined the ruling BJD and was made the district president. But due to seat sharing arrangement with BJP, BJD denied him ticket from Birmitrapur in 2004. He unsuccessfully fought for Birmitrapur Assembly segment and Sundargarh Lok Sabha seat as Independent. Tirkey had quit BJD in 2006 and won the Birmitrapur seat in 2009 and 2014. Sources said his popularity graph is diminishing. Tirkey has also registered a political party called Samta Kranti Dal, but it has not benefitted him.

Political observers opine that to retain his tribal vote base, Tirkey has associated himself with the movement of Sundargarh Zilla Adiwasi Mulwasi Bachao Manch (SZAMBM).
State vice-president of JMM Sebian Aind said Tirkey’s presence would strengthen the party in Sundargarh and other tribal pockets of Odisha. He said Tirkey had applied to the Sundargarh District Committee of JMM on November 26 and his application was cleared by the State and central committees. However, Tirkey’s aides Halu and Letha would not be taken back in to JMM as they are facing suspension for anti-party activities, he added.