Jharkhand’s first Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, who joined the BJP at a function attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior State BJP leaders on Tuesday reached the BJP office after 14 years. The BJP and erstwhile Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) workers gave a rousing welcome to Marandi. Senior BJP leaders, including party State general secretary, Deepak Prakash, former State president Ravindra Rai, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo, State secretary Subodh Singh Guddu and others were at party office to welcome Marandi.
Marandi, who headed Jharkhand Vikas Morcha till the merger of party with BJP on Monday, reached the party office at 12.30 noon.
As his white coloured Volvo car reached BJP office the BJP and JVM supporters raised slogans in support of Marandi and BJP. Marandi talking to media persons said, “I was to go to Giridih to meet people of my constituency. But, I decided to visit BJP office so as to meet old friends in the party.”
Marandi also shared his experience in BJP when he was in Saffron party 14 years back. Marandi on the occasion once again reiterated his commitment to strengthen the party at grass root level assuring that his door will be open for workers.
He said, “If I am in Ranchi I will definitely visit party office and will be available to party workers.” The former chief minister said that when he left BJP in 2006 the party office was functioning from smaller office, but now the BJP office is much bigger.
Interestingly, the party office in which Marandi reached after 14 years, the foundation stone of the office of laid by Marandi. He also had lunch with party leaders in office before leaving for Giridih.
Marandi, an affable, suave and soft in nature politician has been a loyalist of RSS and due to his closeness with RSS the BJP since 2006 was working to bring back Marandi to BJP fold.
Sources said Marandi is likely to get Leader of Opposition post in Assembly. At the time when three senior BJP State leaders including outing Chief Minister Raghubar Das, former Speaker Dinesh Oroan and State BJP president Laxman Gilua losing the election, there was speculation that either Chandreshwar Prasad Singh (CP Singh) or Neelkanth Singh Munda having vast experience in party and House could be made as Leader of Opposition (LoP), but during the three day long special session of Jharkhand Assembly the LoP chair remained vacant.
Marandi likely to get leader of opposition post also gain importance as on Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also indicated that Marandi along with two other former Chief Ministers Raghubar Das and Arjun Munda will lead the party in State. Also, BJP national president JP Nadda on Tuesday appointed Muralidhar Rao BJP national general-secretary was appointed as observer for appointment of BJP leader of Opposition in House.
Marandi is a former RSS leader who resigned from his job as a teacher to work for the organisation. In 2000, he became the first chief minister of newly created state of Jharkhand. But, he had to resign in 2003 and Arjun Munda became the chief minister. In 2006, Marandi formed his own party and since then he has been trying to find a base in the State. In 2009, his party won eleven Assembly seats, which were reduced to eight in 2014. In 2019, his party managed to win only three seats.
