Several BJP leaders, including three former MLAs, joined the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) weeks ahead of the assembly polls in the state. The former legislators who switched sides on Monday were Lois Marandi, Kunal Sarangi and Lakshman Tudu. The development also comes barely two days after three-term BJP legislator Kedar Hazra and AJSU Party leader Umakant Rajak joined the JMM.
"We joined the JMM today," Sarangi, the BJP's former spokesperson and ex-Baharagora MLA, told PTI. Lois Marandi, a former BJP legislator, had in 2014 defeated Chief Minister Hemant Soren by a margin of 5,262 votes from Dumka. Soon after Lois embraced JMM, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren welcomed her to the party. "We heartily welcome former BJP Vice President and senior leader respected Lois Marandi Ji to JMM family," Soren posted on X.
"I have just done the right thing. Everyone should come back to their home after they have realised what's wrong with the world. I am very happy to be back with my elder brother Hemant Soren. Whatever recognition I have in politics, the credit entirely goes to him," said Kunal Sadangi.
In 2019, Soren won the Dumka seat by a margin of 13,188 votes. He, however, vacated the seat and retained the Barhait constituency. His brother Basant Soren had defeated Marandi by over 6,842 votes in party stronghold Dumka in a bypoll. Sources said Lois Marandi, in a letter to BJP state president Babulal Marandi, has drawn his attention to the "neglect" of committed workers like her and rising factionalism in the BJP. She has mentioned how the BJP won Dumka for the first time since Independence in 2014, considered a JMM bastion. Sarangi resigned from the party's primary membership in July, around a month and a half after stepping down from the post of Jharkhand unit spokesperson.
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He sent his resignation letter to BJP Jharkhand unit president Babulal Marandi, citing various organisational and people-oriented issues in East Singhbhum district. Sarangi had also expressed disappointment with the party leadership's “indifferent approach” despite his efforts to highlight crucial issues.
He said, "I resigned from the spokesman's post hoping that the party leadership would address the concerns I raised, but nothing has happened yet." Lakshman Tudu defeated JMM's Ramdas Soren from Ghatshila constituency by 6,403 votes in 2014.
Others who came to JMM-fold include BJP leaders from Seraikela -- Ganesh Mahli, Basco Besra and Bari Murmu. Three-term BJP legislator Kedar Hazra and AJSU Party leader Umakant Rajak joined the JMM on October 18.
Elections to the 81-member Jharkhand assembly will be held in two phases – November 13 and November 20 – with the counting of votes scheduled for November 23. Filing of nomination papers for the 43 assembly constituencies going to polls in the first phase began on Monday, with three nominations submitted so far. In total, 2.60 crore people are eligible to vote in the assembly elections.