Upon the completion of three years of UPA government in the state, Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM president Hemant Soren will kick-off the second phase of his ‘Khatiyani Johar Yatra’, from Koderma district on January 17, a senior JMM leader on Saturday said.

The mineral-rich, tribal state, was carved out of Bihar in 2000 and given the status of an independent state. Jharkhand witnessed three presidential rules in the first 14 years of its existence.

The JMM-Congress-RJD combine will jointly take out the yatra covering six districts:?Koderma, Giridih, Simdega, West Singhbhum, Saraikela-Kharswan and East Singhbhum, in the second phase, which would conclude on January 31, he said. “After the huge success of the first phase, we are starting the second round from January 17,” said Vinod Kumar Pandey, JMM spokesperson and party general secretary.

The first phase, which had covered six districts:?Garhwa, Palamu, Gumla, Godda, Deoghar and Lohardaga -- began on December 8 and concluded on December 16. Pandey said as part of the yatra, the CM will address public meetings and highlight how his government is fulfilling promises made to people.

“Soren will also review the progress of development work in the respective districts and take the feedback of people,” he said. Party workers held a meeting here on Friday to chalk out strategies to make the yatra's second phase a success, Pandey added.

(With PTI copies)