The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suffered a blow in Jharkhand, where several of its leaders including three former MLAs have resigned and joined Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). The former legislators who have switched sides are Lois Marandi, Kunal Sarangi, and Lakshman Tudu.
This comes barely two days after three-term BJP legislator Kedar Hazra and AJSU Party leader Umakant Rajak joined the JMM. "We joined the JMM today," Sarangi, the BJP's former spokesperson and ex-Baharagora MLA, told news agency PTI.
Lois Marandi had in 2014 defeated Chief Minister Hemant Soren by a margin of 5,262 votes from Dumka. Soon after Lois joined JMM, Hemant Soren welcomed her to the party. "We heartily welcome former BJP Vice President and senior leader respected Lois Marandi Ji to JMM family," Soren posted on X.
In 2019, Soren won the Dumka seat by a margin of 13,188 votes. He, however, vacated the seat and retained the Barhait constituency. His brother Basant Soren had defeated Marandi by over 6,842 votes in party stronghold Dumka in a bypoll.
Marandi in a letter to BJP state president Babulal Marandi has drawn his attention to the "neglect" of committed workers like her and rising factionalism in BJP, sources told the news agency. She has mentioned how the BJP for the first time won Dumka, considered a JMM bastion, in 2014 since Independence.
Kunal Sarangi resigned from the party's primary membership in July, a month-and-a-half after stepping down as the party's state spokesperson. Sarangi sent his resignation letter to BJP’s Jharkhand unit president Babulal Marandi, citing organisational issues and public concerns in East Singhbhum district.
Sarangi expressed frustration over the party leadership’s inaction despite his repeated efforts to address critical issues. “I resigned from the spokesman’s post hoping the leadership would act, but nothing has changed,” he said.
In a wave of political realignment ahead of the assembly elections, multiple BJP leaders have switched allegiance to the ruling JMM. Lakshman Tudu, who defeated JMM’s Ramdas Soren in the 2014 Ghatshila election by 6,403 votes, is among the prominent leaders now with JMM.
Other BJP members from Seraikela district, including Ganesh Mahli, Basco Besra, and Bari Murmu, have also joined the JMM. Additionally, Kedar Hazra, a three-term BJP legislator, and Umakant Rajak from the AJSU Party joined the JMM on October 18.
The 81-member Jharkhand assembly will go to polls in two phases, on November 13 and November 20, with vote counting set for November 23.