Kanker. State president of tribal society and former MP Sohan Potai (Former MP Sohan Potai) passed away today. He was suffering from cancer for a long time. Due to his death, mourning has spread in the tribal society. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former CM Raman Singh have expressed condolences on his death.
Sohan Potai had been an MP from Kanker Lok Sabha seat for 4 times. He won all the four times by contesting elections on BJP ticket. Sohan Potai has said goodbye to the world at the age of 64. Sohan Potai was born on 20 April 1958. He came into limelight for the first time in 1998 by defeating veteran Congress leader Mahendra Karma, but remained an MP for only one year due to the fall of the government at the Centre.
Sohan Potai’s political journey and contributions to tribal society
After this in 1999, he defeated Arvind Netam. In 2004, Sohan Potai defeated Ganga Potai Thakur, who was contesting on a Congress ticket, to form a trio. After this, in the year 2009, he made a record of fourth consecutive victory by defeating Phulodevi Netam of Congress.
In 2014, he did not get ticket from BJP. Due to continuous rhetoric against BJP, Sohan Potai was expelled from the party. After this he became active in the politics of tribal society. Presently he was on the post of State President of Sarva Adivasi Samaj.
Potai came into politics after leaving the postmaster’s government job Sohan Potai left the government job of Post Master and joined politics. During the Emergency, he left the job of Assistant Post Master and joined BJP. He was vocal about issues related to tribals. Potai was once considered a favorite of the RSS, but in later days his distance from the BJP kept increasing.
Controversies surrounding Sohan Potai’s political career
It is said that during the then BJP regime, there were allegations of nexus with Naxalites. He then complained to former Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh and Saudan Singh, a police officer, but his complaints were ignored.
Sohan Potai’s ticket was first cut, after that his claim in the assembly elections was also ignored. After this, he started speaking openly against the party leaders. He fiercely criticized Dr. Raman Singh and Saudan Singh. Even in the last election, he openly campaigned against the BJP.
Legacy and impact of Sohan Potai’s political career
Seeing Sohan Potai’s good influence in the Kanker Lok Sabha constituency, before the 2018 assembly elections, the RSS functionary tried to bring him back into the party, but he failed.
In the last 3 assembly elections, BJP was seen trailing in Kanker seats. Although the BJP won Kanker in the Lok Sabha elections, it could never make up for the inroads the party had made during Sohan Potai’s tenure.
