RANCHI: Aiming to achieve the target of 65-plus out of 81 Assembly seats in Jharkhand, the state unit BJP on Wednesday, inducted as many 5 MLAs from Congress, JMM and Naujawan Sangharhs Morcha at the state BJP headquarters in Ranchi. Former DGP DK Pandey, Retired IAS Suchitra Sinha, RP Sinha along with another retired IPS Arun Oraon also joined the saffron party.
Opposition MLAs who joined BJP are – Kunal Shadangi, Jai Prakash Bhai Patel of JMM, Sukhdeo Bhagat, Manoj Yadav of Congress party and Bhavnathpur MLA Bhanu Pratap Shahi of Navjawan Snagharsh Morcha. The Opposition, however, has questioned the induction of Shahi, who is tainted as several cases of corruption are still pending against him.
Welcoming the new entrants, Chief Minister Raghubar Das said that more and more people are joining BJP by getting impressed with its agenda of development and nationalism.
“Elections of 2014 and 2019 have clearly indicated that dynastic politics have completely ended in the country,” said Das. BJP is committed towards its agenda of development and nationalism, he added.
BJP insiders revealed that some other leaders like Congress MLA Devendra Kumar Singh ‘Bittu’ Jarmundi MLA from Congress Badal Patralekh are also in contact with BJP and are likely to join very soon ahead of Assembly elections in Jharkhand.
Though, BJP leaders denied of making any commitment for tickets to them, but the BJP insiders claimed that all these MLAs of Opposition parties have joined the party on the conditions of contesting elections from their respective seats.
Notably, a slew of leaders from almost all Opposition parties in Jharkhand have been switching sides to BJP ahead of Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in November-December this year. The latest being JVM-P MLA from Latehar Prakash Ram who joined the saffron party on October 5.