SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, July 2: Baby Devi, wife of late Education Minister of Jharkhand Jagarnath Mahto has turned a politician to carry on the social service legacy of her husband in the region.
She has emerged to take the place of her late husband in the Hemant Soren government as a minister, which is vacant since April, on July 3.
Baby Devi, a mother of five children (four daughters and a son), led a life of a housewife and did not participate in any political and party activities when Jagarnath Mahto was alive. But she always stood with the late minister ( her husband) in his social activities in Dumri ( Giridih) assembly constituency which Jagarnath Mahto represented four times from 2005 to 2023.
“Even after the death of Jagarnath Mahto on April 6, 2023, Baby Devi carried on the social service legacy of her husband. She participates in all the social and political activities and helps whoever reaches her as the late minister used to do,” said Giridih district Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) president Sanjay Singh.
A senior leader of the JMM of Dumri constituency said all four daughters of Baby Devi have been married and after the death of her husband(four-time Dumri MLA), she has submitted herself to the service of people in the constituency to fulfil the dream of Jagarnath Mahto.
Baby Devi despite lacking an educational degree has enough experience to deal with social, political and family problems.
JMM Giridih president Sanjay Singh said that giving a berth to baby Devi in the ministry would be due respect to the late Jagarnath Mahto who dedicated his life to the organization (JMM), region and people of all casts and communities. “ She would sweep the by-election on Dumri’s seat,” he said.
“Baby Devi is a natural and deserving candidate for ministry as she has been seen as representative of the late education minister who made the party strong in the region,” said Debu Mahto, a senior JMM leader of Dhanbad.