Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will face the Enforcement Directorate officials in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. Security has been beefed up in Ranchi with prohibitory orders in force in select areas of Jharkhand capital city Ranchi. TV reports say that the ED team is carrying ten helmets fearing violence. Amid the buzz around ED’s grilling, focus has now shifted to the future of Jharkhand politics.
While there has been no official confirmation, there are several reports that say Kalpana Soren, Hemant Soren’s wife, is likely to be appointed as the next Chief Minister of Jharkhand in case he is arrested following the questioning by ED. So, who is Kalpana Soren? Here are five points you need to know about Hemant Soren’s wife who is tipped to be next CM of the state:
1: Hailing from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj, Kalpana Soren has studied engineering and holds a Masters in Engineering and an MBA degree as well. Kalpana married Hemant Soren back in 2006. The couple has two sons.
2: An Indian Express report says that Kalpana Soren is close to President Droupadi Murmu. In fact, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha had backed Murmu during the presidential polls in 2022.
3: Mrs Soren is largely credited for the success of Jharkhand’s tribal festival.
4: In a 2019 interview, Kalpana had spoken about the special women helpline in Jharkhand.