New Delhi – Shibu Soren, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and founder of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), passed away today at the age of 81. His son, current Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, confirmed the news, expressing profound grief, stating, "I have become zero today." The veteran leader died at 8:56 AM at Sri Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, where he had been admitted for over a month due to a kidney-related ailment and a stroke suffered approximately six weeks ago. He was on life support for the past month, according to hospital sources.

Shibu Soren, fondly known as 'Guruji' among his supporters, was a towering figure in Jharkhand’s political landscape, instrumental in the movement for the state’s creation in 2000. Born on January 11, 1944, in Nemra village, he co-founded the JMM in 1972 to champion tribal rights and land reforms. Soren served as Jharkhand’s Chief Minister three times: briefly in 2005, from 2008 to 2009, and from 2009 to 2010. He was also a Lok Sabha member from Dumka for eight terms and is currently a Rajya Sabha MP representing Jharkhand.

"Shibu Soren was declared dead at 8:56 am today. He died after a prolonged illness. He was suffering from a kidney ailment, and had suffered a stroke, a month and a half back. He was on the life support system for the last one month: Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi" an ANI post read.

His political career was marked by significant contributions to tribal empowerment but was not without controversy. Soren faced allegations in multiple criminal cases, including the 1994 murder of his private secretary Shashi Nath Jha, for which he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006, though the Delhi High Court acquitted him in 2007. He was also acquitted in other cases, including the 1975 Chirrudih massacre and a 1974 double murder case, due to lack of evidence.

Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum. JMM leaders hailed Soren as a visionary who fought for the marginalized, while opposition leaders acknowledged his role in shaping Jharkhand’s identity.

Soren is survived by his wife, Roopi Kisku, sons Hemant and Basant, and daughter Anjali. His eldest son, Durga, passed away in 2009. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced soon, with the last rites likely to be held in his native village in Jharkhand.