Babulal Marandi with PM Modi.
Credit: Special Arrangement.
New Delhi: The induction of former chief minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha rebel Champai Soren into the BJP has led to disappointment of Babulal Marandi, longtime BJP leader of the state, who has now come to Delhi to speak to the leadership.
Marandi, the party state unit’s president, who has also been a chief minister of the state, is reportedly upset with Soren joining the BJP. On Tuesday, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is also set to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Before he took off for Delhi, Marandi told reporters that Soren is welcome to join the BJP. “If he is joining the party, we will welcome him. There’s no doubt about it,” he told reporters.
On Monday, Assam chief minister and the party’s Jharkhand in-charge Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that Soren will join the BJP on August 30. Earlier that day, Sarma had also made a public invitation to Soren, who said he was humiliated in the JMM.
Soren, who has been camping in Delhi for two weeks now, also met union home minister Amit Shah on Monday. Soren told reporters on Tuesday that he will join the BJP.
“When I had come to Delhi on August 18, I had made my position clear. At first, I thought I will retire from politics but then due to the public support, I decided not to … I will join the BJP,” he said.
Elections to the 81-member assembly are scheduled to be held in November–December this year.
Soren, who was made the CM after Hemant Soren’s arrest and then had to make way for him when he was released, was upset with the promotion of Kalpana Soren in the party. He had said that he was humiliated in the party.