Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana files nomination as JMM candidate for Gandey assembly bypoll

Jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana on April 29 filed her nomination as the JMM candidate for the Gandey assembly bypoll.

Jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana on April 29 filed her nomination as the JMM candidate for the Gandey Assembly bypoll.

Ms. Kalpana, 48, was accompanied by Chief Minister Champai Soren, brother-in-law Basant Soren, Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur and ministers Alamgir Alam and Satyanand Bhokta, among others.

Bypoll to the seat is scheduled on May 20 along with the parliamentary elections in the state.

The seat in Giridih district fell vacant following the resignation of JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad.

Soon after filing her nomination, Ms. Kalpana said, "Give us one more chance, give us your blessings... this election is happening for the people of Gandey." Asked about the opposition INDIA bloc, she asserted that the coalition is strong in the state and the country.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha nominee also said she always takes criticism in a constructive manner.

Ms. Kalpana, a homemaker with MTech and MBA qualifications, completed her school education from Baripada in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, and obtained her engineering and MBA degrees in Bhubaneswar.