Jharkhand polls: BJP leader Baidyanath Ram joins JMM

BJP leader Baidyanath Ram joined the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and got the ticket to contest from Latehar (SC) assembly seat, a JMM statement said here on Tuesday.

Ram, who was a two-time minister BJP-led NDA governments in the state, was denied ticket to contest the assembly polls.

The saffron party has fielded Prakash Ram from Latehar (SC) seat where polling will be held in the first phase on November 30. Ram joined the JMM in the presence of its working president Hemant Soren on Monday night and was nominated for the Latehar (SC) constituency, the statement said.

The BJP had suspended Ram on April 28, 2013, following allegations of bigamy against him. The suspension was revoked later after the party was satisfied with his clarifications. He was with the Janata Dal (United) before joining the BJP.

Reacting to Ram's desertion, BJP state unit spokesman Pratul Shahdeo said, "The BJP's simple philosophy is contesting elections on ideology. Crores of workers are working for the party. It is unfortunate that a section of leaders only want be MLAs or MPs. We can only say good luck to them."

Assembly elections in Jharkhand will be held in five phases between November 30 and December 20. Counting will take place on December 23.