During the tenure of Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s government in Jharkhand, four ministers have died while in office namely Haji Hussain Ansari, Jagarnath Mahto, Ramdas Soren and, most recently, Sudivya Kumar Sonu.
Three ministers held key education portfolios
Notably, three of the four ministers were directly associated with the Education Department. Jagarnath Mahto and Ramdas Soren served as ministers of the School Education and Literacy Department, while Sudivya Kumar Sonu was in charge of the Higher and Technical Education Department.
Deaths of 4 ministers during the tenure of the Hemant cabinet
Sudivya Kumar Sonu’s death leaves JMM and Hemant Soren government facing major loss
In about three and a half years, three ministers associated with the Education Department in Jharkhand have passed away.
The deaths of Jagarnath Mahto, Ramdas Soren and now Sudivya Kumar Sonu mark an unusual and tragic coincidence in the state’s political history. There is no claim that the deaths were connected in any way.
JMM loses a long-time grassroots leader
With Sudivya Kumar Sonu’s demise, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has lost a grassroots leader who had been associated with the organisation for a long time. His death is being seen as a major loss for both the party and the state government.
Large crowd gathers in Giridih
A large number of people have gathered in Giridih to pay their last respects to Sudivya Kumar Sonu. Supporters, party workers and local residents are arriving to bid farewell to the JMM leader.
Haji Hussain Ansari was the first minister in the Hemant Cabinet to pass away during its tenure.
Haji Hussain Ansari dies of COVID-19; son Hafizul Hasan carries forward his legacy
Haji Hussain Ansari, the MLA from Madhupur and a minister in the Hemant Soren government, died in 2020 after contracting COVID-19. His death left the Madhupur Assembly seat vacant, prompting a by-election.
Haji Hussain Ansari’s son, Hafizul Hasan Ansari, won the by-election, continuing his father’s political legacy in Madhupur. His death also marked the first time that the Hemant Soren cabinet lost one of its key members while in office.
Former Dumri MLA Jagannath Mahto passed away on April 6, 2023, while undergoing treatment in Chennai after a lung transplant.
Jagannath Mahto: Long Battle with Illness, Underwent Lung Transplant
Jagarnath Mahto, MLA from Dumri and Jharkhand’s School Education and Literacy Minister, died on April 6, 2023, while undergoing treatment in Chennai.
His condition had remained critical after he contracted COVID-19 and underwent prolonged treatment, including a lung transplant.
Known as a grassroots leader with a strong mass base in Jharkhand politics, Mahto’s death left the Dumri Assembly seat vacant.
A by-election was subsequently held, which was won by his wife, Baby Devi, bringing her into the Legislative Assembly and continuing his political legacy.
Ghatsila MLA Ramdas Soren was also the Minister of School Education and Literacy in the Hemant government. He passed away on August 15, 2025.
Ramdas Soren & Sudivya Kumar Sonu leave behind strong political legacies in Jharkhand
Ghatshila MLA Ramdas Soren served as Jharkhand’s School Education and Literacy Minister in the Hemant government. He died on August 15, 2025, following which the state government declared a period of state mourning.
His death, coming after Jagarnath Mahto’s demise, was another major setback for the government and the Education Department.
The sequence came into focus again following the death of Sudivya Kumar Sonu. He joined the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in 1989 and worked to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level.
In his early years, he wrote slogans on walls, put up posters and carried the party flag from village to village. In 1992, he became the founding president of the Giridih Municipal Committee. He later held several organisational responsibilities and went on to become the Giridih district president.
Two consecutive Assembly victories
Sudivya was elected MLA from Giridih in 2019 and retained the seat in 2024. He was subsequently given charge of Higher and Technical Education, Tourism, Art and Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, and Urban Development and Housing in the Hemant government.
