After 14 years of separation, the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha(JVM) once again came into the fold of the Bhartiya Janata Party(BJP). Former Jharkhand CM Babulal Marandi made his party’s homecoming on Monday by merging JVM with the BJP in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda.
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In 2000, Babulal Marandi became the first chief minister of Jharkhand, shortly after the state was carved out of the then Bihar. He was then in the BJP. However, later in 2006 he broke away from the BJP to form his own party Jharkhand Vikas Morcha(JVM).
A few days back, Marandi had announced that his party JVM will merge into the BJP on February 17 in a function to be held at Prabhat Tara Maidan.
Welcoming Marandi back into BJP, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that it was not easy to get him back into the party. Shah also added that efforts were made since 2014 to get the former Jharkhand CM within the BJP.
“I have been trying to bring Babulal Marandi into BJP since I was made BJP chief in 2014. Someone rightly said that he is quite stubborn. We couldn’t persuade him easily. He has now joined BJP as per the wish of the people of Jharkhand,” Shah said.
Marandi too acknowledged that he was pursued since 2014 by the BJP for the merger. “This is not a sudden event. I was in touch with the BJP since 2014. Right after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and assembly elections, we were contacted by the BJP. Right from the start, the BJP wanted us to merge with them,” Marandi said.
While addressing the gathering, Babulal Marandi expressed his gratitude to the BJP for a warm reception. He added that he has not merged his party for the lure of a lucrative position in the BJP. Marandi asserted that he will accept whatever responsibility he is entrusted with.
”I will work as a common worker. If the party even gives me the job of sweeping, I will do it,” Marandi said.