As Babulal Marandi joins BJP, two JVM(P) MLAs merge outfit with Congress

As Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (P) founder Babulal Marandi joined the BJP, the party's two legislators on Monday merged the outfit with the Congress.

Minutes after Marandi embraced the BJP in Ranchi, JVM(P) MLAs Bandu Tirkey and Pradeep Yadav addressed a press conference at the AICC Headquarters here announcing their decision to join the Congress. They were flanked by senior Congress leaders R P N Singh and Randeep Singh Surjewala.

JVM(P) has three MLAs in the Jharkhand assembly – Marandi, Tirkey and Yadav.

“Of the three MLAs, two have agreed to merge the JVM(P) party with the Congress. This means two-thirds of the party members have approved the merger,” Yadav told reporters here.

RPN Singh, AICC in-charge of Jharkhand, said a massive rally will be organised in the state soon where the all the office bearers and supporters would join the Congress in the presence of Rahul Gandhi.

Marandi, the first chief minister of Jharkhand, had drifted away from the BJP after the party promoted Arjun Munda in the state.

After Marandi agreed to join the BJP, Tirkey and Yadav decided to part ways and met Congress President Sonia Gandhi last month expressing their desire to merge the outfit with the grand old party.