In a significant development ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly Elections, former BJP leaders Dr. Lois Marandi, Kunal Sarangi, and Ganesh Mahali have joined the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). The trio met with CM Hemant Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren to formalize their entry into the party.
Dr. Lois Marandi, who previously held the position of BJP Vice President in the state, decided to switch parties after being denied a ticket from her hometown constituency of Dumka. Instead, she was asked to contest from Barhait, a place she was unfamiliar with. Expressing her disappointment, Dr. Marandi stated, “I gave 24 years to Dumka, so how can I contest the election from Barhait? I know nothing about that place but I know everything about Dumka.”
Meanwhile, Kunal Sarangi, another former BJP member, cited his struggles in securing promotion within the saffron party as a driving factor for his decision to join JMM. He criticized the BJP for promoting individuals based on factors like sycophancy and corruption. Sarangi expressed his happiness in returning to the JMM fold, which he considers to be his political family.
Overall, the defection of these former BJP leaders to JMM underscores the shifting dynamics in Jharkhand politics as the state gears up for the upcoming elections.