Having in denial mode for more than a month amidst speculations of merger of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) with BJP, JVM chief Babulal Marandi today announced the merger of his 14-year -old party with the saffron party.

Marandi announced the decision to merge JVM with the BJP on February 17, after the central committee meeting of the party unanimously approved the party's merger with the BJP. The merger of JVM with BJP will be big bash with a grand function at Sri Jagannath Maidan of State Capital in presence of BJP national president, JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national general secretary Om Prakash Mathur among other senior leaders.  Marandi has asked his party leaders and workers from Panchayat level, which is lowest level in organization to attend the JVM merger with BJP on February 17.

The JVM chief talking to media persons said, “At the working committee five resolutions were passed. The working committee today gave its nod for expulsion of former MLA Bandhu Tirkey and Pradeep Yadav from party. The two other resolutions which the party passed were giving nod to merger of JVM legislature party with BJP in Assembly and fourth the merger of party with BJP.” The JVM working committee also gave its nod for transfer of property of party with BJP.

Marandi claimed that most of the members at working committee gave their consent for merger of JVM with BJP.

Sources said that it will be a win-win situation for both BJP and Marandi, as after the Assembly election debacle, BJP has been looking for a tribal face in Jharkhand with an appeal in Santhal region. Sources said that for Marandi too it will be rehabilitation for him as despite all efforts his party managed to win only three seats.

The Saffron party’s debacle in tribal areas raised eyebrows of higher-ups in the BJP and they had made mind to amend the mistakes committed by projecting unpopular face in tribal areas. A senior BJP leader requesting anonymity said, “The plot of JVM merger with BJP was going round for months. We were looking for a leader who could match the stature of Hemant Soren at the same time having a clean image in such a situation there was no bigger tribal leader than Marandi.”

Effable, suave and soft in nature, Babulal has been a loyalist of RSS and it seems to have paid him a rich dividend. He was felicitated with the coveted post of first CM of Jharkhand when it became a separate state on November 15, 2000. However, his stint as the CM could not last for a long time and he had to step down on March 17, 2003.

The BJP leader said, “After the merger of JVM with BJP, the saffron party will either give him the post of State president or leader of opposition in Assembly as BJP is yet to take any final decision on appointment of any leader in these two posts.”