NEW DELHI: On a day Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) chief Babulal Marandi announced the merger of his outfit with the BJP, the Congress on Monday sprung a surprise saying two of the three JVM(P) legislators have joined it and the entire regional party would merge with it on March 1.
The announcement by the Congress' in-charge of Jharkhand R P N Singh came soon after former chief minister Marandi announced JVM-P's merger with the BJP in presence of Amit Shah.
The two MLAs -- Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey -- said two-third of the party legislators have announced joining the Congress and hence theirs is the "real JVM(P)", and other office bearers would join the Congress soon.
Yadav claimed that 95 per cent party members and office bearers are with them and not with Marandi.
"Two of the three MLAs of JVM(P) have joined the Congress and the 'real' JVM-P party would merge with the Congress soon at a public rally to be addressed by Rahul Gandhi," Singh told reporters.
To a question that the two MLAs have already been suspended by the party, Singh said the decision would be taken by the Jharkhand assembly speaker.
Yadav is the JVM(P)'s legislative party leader, a former minister and five-time MLA.
Tirkey is a three-time MLA and a former state minister.
When asked about the charge that the Congress was indulging in poaching of MLAs, its chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that Amit Shah was the "vice-chancellor of the University of Poaching" as he has indulged in such activities across the country.
"Who is the poaching guru and who is the vice-chancellor of the Poaching University?" he said.
R P N Singh said three JVM(P) MLAs were elected to the current Jharkhand Assembly and two of them are with the Congress.
"On March 1, JVM's top leaders will join the Congress in a ceremony. We have requested Rahul Gandhi to address this ceremony, and he has accepted it."
He said the JVM(P) held a meeting under the leadership of both the two MLAs on Sunday and they have decided to merge their party with the Congress, which has also been accepted by the Congress president.
The Congress announcement came a little after Marandi announced merger of the JVM(P) with the BJP on Monday, giving stimulus to the saffron party smarting from the defeat in the November-December, 2019, Jharkhand assembly polls.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, credited with BJP's phenomenal expansion as its president, was present at the well-attended public rally where he welcomed Marandi, a respectable tribal leader and the first chief minister of Jharkhand, back into the saffron partys' fold.
Shah also assured Marandi that he will get due respect and responsibility in the BJP.
"I am delighted that Babulal Marandi has returned to the BJP. I was working for his return since 2014 when I became the party president," Shah told the gathering that cheered on.
Shah said after quitting the BJP over "personal and organisational" issues in 2006, Marandi became "a 'ghumantu' (roving) leader, sharing the sorrow and happiness of the people of Jharkhand, setting an example of how to be among people without power, too".