In a major jolt to Opposition unity in poll-bound State, Chief Minister Raghubar Das led BJP Government on Wednesday carried out ‘surgical strike’ on JMM and Congress, inducting fours MLAs from these two parties. Former JPCC president and two times MLA from Lohardaga Sukhdeo Bhagat, four times Congress MLA from Barhi Manoj Kumar Yadav, JMM legislator from Baharagora Kunal Sarangi and rebel JMM MLA from Mandu Jai Prakash Bhai Patel joined the BJP on Wednesday. Another lawmaker and three times MLA from Bhawnathpur Bhanu Pratap Shahi, who too joined the BJP, announced the merger of his party Navjawan Sangharsh Morcha with BJP.

Apart from lawmakers, five ex- bureaucrats and former IPS officers too joined the saffron camp.

The induction ceremony was held at State BJP headquarter and was attended by Chief Minister Raghubar Das, State BJP president Laxman Gilua, State BJP election co in-charge Nand Kishore Yadav, Hazaribagh MP and  former union minister of State Jayant Sinha apart from other senior BJP leaders.

Welcoming the induction of Opposition leaders, Chief Minister Raghubar Das said, “The leaders have joined the BJP as they are influenced with BJP’s vision of development and nationalism.”

The Chief Minister also said that the mandate of 2014 and 2019 general elections has given clear cut indication that dynastic politics will not work in the country.

State BJP president Laxman Gilua welcoming the leaders and ex- bureaucrats said, “With the joining of these leaders who are influential in their respective areas the party can now easily achieve the target of mission 65 plus in Assembly election.”

State BJP election co in-charge Nand Kishore Yadav said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi always talks that development of country lies in eastern India’s development. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Raghubar Das Jharkhand has witnessed growth in all fronts and the leaders who have joined BJP are influenced with Chief Minister’s development work.”

Sources said that the induction of these leaders was carried out after several rounds of discussion with the CM and other senior BJP leaders. Also, the leaders who joined Saffron camp were upset with their parent party high command. Both Sukhdeo Bhagat and Manoj Kumar Yadav had contested the last Lok Sabha elections on Congress ticket from Lohardaga and Chatra respectively, but both the leaders were upset with Congress leadership as they felt that party leaders had spoiled their prospects. Yadav was also a minister in undivided Bihar.

For Bahargora MLA Kunal Sarangi, it was just like home coming as his father Dinesh Sarangi was State’s first Health Minister and BJP MLA from Baharagora.

The ex-bureaucrats and former IPS officers too joined the saffron camp included former DGP, DK Pandey, former IG Arun Oraon who is husband of former education minister Geetashree  Oraon and son in-law of stalwart tribal leader Kartik Oroan, Suchitra Sinha who took VRS to join BJP, RP Sinha, Bajranji Yadav and others.