ranchi

Updated: May 26, 2019 09:15 IST

JP’s Dumka MP, Sunil Soren, 39, who has emerged as a giant killer by defeating JMM patriarch Shibu Soren, said that development was the only “solution to win people’s trust”.

Sunil, who started his political career with the JMM, has been contesting elections from Dumka against his guru (mentor) Shibu Soren since 2009.

After losing two Lok Sabha elections, Soren finally succeeded in registering victory against Shibu Soren, popularly known as Dishom Guru (Guru of World) or Guruji, in this election by a margin of over 47,000 votes.

An intermediate pass out, Sunil had joined the BJP in 2004 after having differences with late Durga Soren, Shibu’s elder son. He had successfully contested the 2005 assembly elections from Jama seat and trounced Durga.

Explaining about his victory, Sunil said, “It was a big challenge for me to defeat a stalwart like Shibu Soren who maintained an unparalleled hegemony in this region for almost 40 years. I tried for this in 2009 and 2014 as well but failed to break his allure. In 2019, development was the key issue. People have seen the five-year rule of the Centre and the state government as well. Besides, there was people’s sympathy for me as I was taking on Shibu for the third consecutive term.”

The young Dumka MP also highlighted his priorities, saying, “The region is still reeling under backwardness. Youth migration, unemployment, education and rail connectivity are the key issues, which need to be addressed.”

Disclosing his political ambition, Sunil said, “We have succeeded in removing “JMM bastion” tag from Santhal Pargana division after general elections results as we grabbed two out of three Lok Sabha seats from the region. We have to maintain our winning spree in forthcoming assembly elections due in November this year. I am looking for a complete sweep in all 18 assembly constituencies to give a befitting reply to the JMM.”

A resident of Tarbandha village of Dumka’s Jama block, Sunil hails from a farmer’s family. His father, late Sufal Soren, was a farmer and his wife Saloni Hansda is a school teacher. Sunil, in the affidavit filed with the election commission in 2019, disclosed that he and his wife together owned moveable and immovable assets worth Rs 47.36 lakh.