Mahua Maji after joining the JMM in Ranchi on Sunday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, Nov. 9: State Commission for Women chairperson Mahua Maji and late Ajsu leader Tileshwar Sahu’s widow Sabi Devi today joined the JMM while old friend Stephen Marandi may also return home, albeit with a rider, in a couple of days.

While Maji will contest the Ranchi seat, Sabi will be in the fray from Barhi, chief minister Hemant Soren announced during an event in Hazaribagh this afternoon. So far, the JMM has announced names of eight women candidates.

Taking the plunge in electoral politics, Maji said: “Guruji is like a fatherly figure for me. I have joined the party because of its pro-women policies.”

Maji, who does not need to resign as the women’s commission chief immediately for contesting the polls, will be pitted against BJP stalwart C.P. Singh, who won the Ranchi seat four times in a row. Other parties, like JVM and Congress, are yet to declare their candidates.

On the other hand, Sabi, who lost her husband Sahu — former chairman of Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board — in a shooting during a meeting before the Lok Sabha polls, was eyeing an Ajsu ticket from Barhi. But, a pre-poll pact between the BJP and Ajsu saw the national party fielded sitting MLA Umashankar Yadav Akela from the seat, prompting her to join the JMM.

Senior leader from Santhal Pargana Stephen Marandi is likely to take a final call on a proposal to join the JMM by tomorrow. “I will reach Ranchi this evening and will hold final talks with the JMM chief. If they accept my request (ticket from Dumka), I will have no problem,” Stephen, who is currently with JVM, said.

Insiders claimed Hemant, the sitting Dumka MLA, might try his luck from Barhait this time to accommodate Stephen in the party.