New Delhi: Leaders from across the country, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, offered their condolences at the death of Rajya Sabha member and former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren.
Soren, popularly known as Guruji, passed away at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Monday morning. He was 81. The news was broken by his son and Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren through an X post.
“Beloved Dishom Guruji has left us. I lost everything today,” Hemant posted.
The Prime Minister called Soren a grassroots leader who did a lot for the tribals. “Shri Shibu Soren Ji was a grassroots leader who rose through the ranks of public life with unwavering dedication to the people. He was particularly passionate about empowering tribal communities, the poor and downtrodden. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and admirers. Spoke to Jharkhand CM Shri Hemant Soren Ji and expressed condolences. Om Shanti,” Prime Minister Modi said on X.
Both houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day after his obituary was read out.
“Deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of former #Jharkhand Chief Minister and founder of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha #ShibuSoren. He was a prominent tribal leader and will be remembered for his dedication to fight for the rights of the tribal and marginalised people. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family, friends, and followers in the hour of grief. #OmShanti,” Naveen Patnaik posted on X.
Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi also offered his condolences.
Soren was admitted to the hospital in Delhi for over a month and his condition was critical for the past few days. The hospital, in a statement, said that the former Union minister was admitted on June 19 and was under the care of Dr A K Bhalla, Senior Consultant, Nephrology.
“Despite the best efforts of our multidisciplinary medical team, Mr Shibu Soren passed away peacefully on 4th August, 2025 with his family at the bedside. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, his loved ones and the people of Jharkhand in this moment of grief and loss of a very popular mass leader,” the statement said.
Soren was elected to the Lok Sabha eight times and served as a Rajya Sabha MP for two terms, the second ongoing. Belonging to the Santhal community, he was born in the Ramgarh district, which was then part of Bihar. He tied up with Leftist trade union leader A K Roy and Kurmi Mahato leader Binod Bihari Mahato to form the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in 1972. Over the years, Soren emerged as a key face of the statehood movement, which led to the formation of Jharkhand in 2000.
He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 from Dumka, which later turned into a stronghold of the JMM. The veteran leader suffered defeat at his bastion in 2019, when the BJP’s Nalin Soren won by a margin of over 45,000 votes.
Soren served as a Union minister and a three-time Chief Minister, but could not complete any of the terms. He became Jharkhand chief minister for the first time in 2005, but had to resign just nine days later after he failed to clear the floor test in the Assembly. Two more terms in the top post followed, but both lasted merely a few months.
Soren joined the Manmohan Singh government in 2004, but he was asked to resign after an arrest warrant was issued in the 1974 Chirudih case linked to a clash between tribals and Muslims. After he was released on bail, he was re-inducted into the Union cabinet, but resigned to take over as Jharkhand chief minister. After his 10-day stint, he returned as Union coal minister in 2006.
Less than a year later, he was convicted in the murder case of his former secretary, Shashinath Jha, and had to resign again. This was the first instance of a Union minister found guilty of involvement in a murder. The Delhi High Court later acquitted him in the case. His last term as chief minister ended after his party backed a motion brought by the UPA government in Parliament, despite being the BJP’s ally in Jharkhand. Furious over the move, the BJP withdrew support and Soren’s government collapsed.
Soren is survived by wife Roopi, sons Hemant and Basant and daughter Anjali. One of his sons Durga died in 2009. While Hemant is the Jharkhand Chief Minister and recently took charge as the JMM president, Basant is an MLA.
