Rebel Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Stephen Marandi on Tuesday rejected party chief and Union minister Sibu Soren's peace overture and hinted at floating an outfit.
Marandi, who was not nominated from his traditional Dumka constituency, where Soren's son Hemant is now in the fray, said that there was no possibility of returning to the JMM after the "humiliation" he was subjected to.
"I may launch a new democratic force where absolutism will have no place. AJSU (the All Jharkhand Students' Union) president and Road Construction Minister Sudesh Mahto spoke to me. Other small parties are also in touch with me," Marandi said.
Marandi rubbished Soren's claim that he wanted to make Marandi a national figure by making him a Rajya Sabha member.
He said that even earlier Soren had denied him a Cabinet berth in Manmohan Singh ministry.
"The JMM was allotted two Cabinet berths when the UPA ministry was formed. But Soren intentionally blocked my entry to the Union Cabinet," he said, adding, "in reality, Soren and his sons (MLA Durga and Hemant) wanted to kick me out of Jharkhand politics as they feared my popularity in the Santhal Pargana district," Marandi said.
On Soren's claim that those who had left the party were struggling in other parties, Marandi said, "I left the party for this very arrogance."
Soren and his sons had prepared the entire election manifesto, Marandi said, adding, "They are the ones who are now flying in helicopters for election campaigning. Has any party leader accompanied them?"
More from rediff