Bagun Sumbrui

Ranchi, Sept. 5: “I have only four wives,” says 78-year-old Bagun Sumbrui, the charismatic old man of Jharkhand politics, who is more famous for his multiple marriages than his political acumen. The Congress MLA, elected as Jharhand Vidhan Sabha deputy Speaker recently, is still young at heart. He has a five-year-old son, named Vikas, from his fourth wife Anita Sumbrui, a teacher by profession. Bagun married Anita in 1993 when he was 69. Vikas has nephews and nieces, who are almost thrice his age. With a political career spanning over five decades in which he has been to Parliament four times and the Assembly several times, Sumbrui has lost just one election since 1991. While none of the 10 candidates successfully contested the Chaibasa Lok Sabha seat twice, Sumbrui is the only one to clinch it four times in 1977, 1980, 1984 and 1989.

Often accused of having over 70 wives, at least 20 by liberal estimates, Sumbrui seems unfazed by the allegations. The bare-chested minister claims that he a leads a peaceful life with all his wives and five children under the same roof in his political stronghold, Chaibasa. Under Tribal customary law, one can marry as many times as one wishes. “I have equalled to Raja Dashrath. He had four wives. It is said that Lord Krishna had 16,000 wives, some say it was 1,600.Can you name even 16 of his wives. People spread canards because they love to gossip,’’ lashed out the minister.

“I was born on February 24, 1924. My first marriage took place in 1942 with Dasmatti Sumbrui. She was a matriculate and I married her because her father and my father had fought for a plot of land for 18 years leaving both of us very poor and I wanted to improve my family ties with hers. However, I married Chandrawati Sumbrui in 1945 because she was my father's choice. While I have two kids from Dasmatti, I didn’t have any from Chandrawati. My third wife is Muktidaani Sumbrui, who has also been an MLA. I married her in 1965 and have two kids from her. Then I married again, a school teacher Anita Sumbrui. All are living peacefully under one roof at my ancestral home at village Boota, Narsanda,” Bagun says. The minister is content with life. His only dream is to see the creation of “Vrihat Jharkhand” comprising parts of Orissa, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand.

“Till then my followers want me to remain in Gandhi baba

style,” he said.

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