No impact on grand alliance: Congress on JVM (P)'s merger with BJP

The Congress has said that Babulal Marandi joining the BJP would not affect Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government in Jharkhand. It also said that the saffron party does not have leaders and that's why it was inducting some from outside.

New Delhi: Hours after Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), two of its leaders joined Congress.

Congress is in alliance with the ruling Jharkhand's Mukti Morcha (JMM) led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

The JMM-led alliance had swept the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly polls.

Talking about JVM's merger with BJP, Congress National Secretary Pranab Jha said that the merger did not impact their alliance with JMM.

While speaking to ETV Bharat, Jha said, "He is a nice man. We have nothing against him but he used to criticize the BJP on various issues and now he has joined the BJP."

"The fact that the BJP had to bring in a leader from outside prove it that the party is not in a good position in Jharkhand," he said.

On being asked if Marandi's returning to Jharkhand BJP would create a problem for their leaders, the Congress leader said it would certainly lead to unrest in the saffron party in the state.

Marandi, who became the first Chief Minister after the formation of Jharkhand in 2000, had to step down in 2003 due to internal problems in the BJP.

He then formed his party--JVM in 2006, after being separated from the latter party.

It is believed that the BJP felt the need for a strong tribal face in the state after its defeat in the assembly polls held last year, to revive the party's sagging fortunes in the state.