SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, June 24: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) central committee member and senior leader in coal belt Dhuryodhan Choudhary (64) died today in the morning (Friday) during treatment in a Chennai hospital.
Family members told media persons that he had gone through lung transplantation 15 days ago and today at around 8 am, he died of an illness.
JMM Tundi MLA and former minister Mathura Prasad Mahto, district JMM president Ramesh Tundi, and Dhanbad Mahanagar Committee President Debu Mahto have expressed deep shock over the death of party’s senior leader Duryodhan Mahto.
Duryodhan Choudhary was a ground level JMM leader in the coal belt. He was considered a close associate of JMM supremo Shibu Soren and Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
He contested the Sindri assembly constituency from the party in 2009 and came second. He was also elected District Board member from area no. 14 last time and had emerged as the main contender for the chairman post. He did not contest last month’s election of the District Board as he had been reserved for a woman.
JMM Mahanagar president Debu Mahto, while expressing shock over the sudden demise of Choudhary, said that JMM has lost a senior devoted leader and it would be tough for the organization (party) to make up for his loss. “He was a fighter and source of inspiration for party workers in the region,” said Mahto.
Duryodhan Choudhary was a hard coke industrialist and said to be a financer of party programmes in the coal belt.
“Of course, his political affiliation was with JMM but he had a close relationship with leaders of all political parties including BJP and Congress. He was considered a messiah of poor people in the region as no one returned empty handed from him ever. He helped cancer patients and other serious diseases affected persons and got married to several daughters of a poor family,” said Anand Pathak, a social activist.
Choudhary left three sons, a daughter and a widow behind him.
