Eyebrows raised as Jharkhand's former CM Hemant Soren meets KCR

HYDERABAD: Eyebrows were raised when Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader and former chief minister Hemant Soren, accompanied by his family members, met TRS supremo and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at Pragati Bhavan here on Wednesday.

Only a week ago did the JMM leader meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and even announced that his party would sail along with the grand old party. Political pundits were, therefore, surprised by Soren’s meeting as Rao is making efforts to form a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front at the national. Thus, Soren’s move  is being construed as sending confusing signals about his leaning.

The CMO said in a statement later that Soren and KCR had discussed national politics at length. “KCR and Hemant Soren had a luncheon meeting, during which they discussed political developments at the national level,” CMO officials said. The JMM leader’s meeting with the TS chief minister assumes political significance as Rao is planning to undertake Delhi yatra on April 3 to intensify his efforts to form a national front against BJP and Congress. Rao had met West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee a few days ago.

According to sources, while interacting with some TRS leaders, Soren recalled his father Shibhu Soren’s support to the Telangana movement when Rao was spearheading it.

Sources said the JMM leader was non-committal on ties with the Congress though he openly criticised the BJP which is in power in Jharkhand. “The BJP-led NDA government is adopting undemocratic policies. I am hopeful that by 2019 polls all like-minded parties will forge an alliance to defeat the NDA,” he said.
Earlier, Rao felicitated Soren by presenting him a replica of the Charminar. Hemant Soren, along with his family members, visited several tourist attractions in the city.

Confusing signals
Hemant Soren was one of the first leaders to back CM KCR’s proposal to form a Front against BJP and Congress in the country
However,later, the same Soren, went to New Delhi and met AICC president Rahul Gandhi, saying that his party will be with the Congress
Now, Soren came all the way to Hyderabad and met KCR
The JMM leader is learnt to have remained non-committal on moving away from the Congress, though he was critical of the BJP-led NDA government