RANCHI: In a major rejig, Babulal Marandi, who has been striving to become legislative party leader in Jharkhand Assembly, is likely to be made State BJP President in the wake of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Jharkhand.
Notably, the former chief minister was nominated as legislative party leader by the BJP three years back, but he is yet to be accepted as legislative party leader in the Assembly as he has been facing a disqualification menace allegedly for defecting to BJP from Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) (JVM (P)). According to the party functionaries, central leadership is to take a decision in this regard immediately after the Gujarat polls.
Meanwhile, any vocal ‘moolwasi’ (local), having a clean image with experience to run the organization, is to be made legislative party leader. “To deal with the recent developments which have taken place in the State, it is expected that the senior party leader, Babulal Marandi, will be removed from his current position and given the responsibility of State party president. Though there is no official confirmation from the center talks are on in this regard,” said a senior party leader requesting anonymity.
But, any decision in this regard will be taken only after the Gujarat polls are over, he added.
The party functionary also informed that Bokaro MLA, Biranchi Narayan and Rajmahal MLA, Anant Ojha are among the forerunners for the post of legislative party leader as they are quite vocal, besides being a moolwasi.
“All these decisions are being taken in the wake of the fact that Babulal Marandi has not been accepted as legislative party leader by the Jharkhand Assembly even after three years of his nomination for the post,” said the party leader. Another party leader also asserted, the central leadership has reached a consensus that state party president will be a tribal leader, while the legislative party leader will be a ‘moolwasi.’ “Central leadership is of the view that the responsibility of party president should be given to a tribal leader who is acceptable to all and has a mass base. Babulal Marandi is the best suitable person for the job,” said the BJP functionary.
It will help in mobilizing non-Christian tribal voters during the polls, he added.
Notably, Marandi’s membership has been kept under suspense in the Assembly by Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahto by not announcing his name as the leader of Opposition even after being elected as BJP legislative party leader.
The Speaker, so far, has kept Marandi’s name for the leader of Opposition on hold, in the light of the two expelled MLAs Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey claiming that it is they who merged JVM (P) with Congress and not Marandi, who joined BJP in his individual capacity.
The hearing by the Assembly tribunal has been completed and Marandi has knocked on the doors of the Jharkhand High Court, alleging the Speaker of not hearing his side properly and demanding a stay on the Speaker’s verdict.