Congress, JMM MLAs, ex-bureaucrats join BJP in Jharkhand

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Ranchi: The Opposition in Jharkhand suffered a jolt on Wednesday after some prominent legislators of the Congress and the Jharkhand Mukti Mukti Morcha (JMM) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Former Jharkhand Congress president and MLA Sukhdeo Bhagat joined the BJP along with senior party leader and legislator Manoj Yadav. Bhagat and Yadav had fought the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Lohardagga and Chatra, and both were unhappy as they felt that party leaders had spoiled their prospects. Yadav was also a minister in undivided Bihar.

The other legislators, who switched to the BJP, included JMM's Kunal Sarangi and independent Bhanu Pratap Shahi.

Some retired bureaucrats also joined the saffron party. These included former DGP DK Pandey, former IPS and Congress leader Arun Oraon, and former IAS Suchitra officers Sinha and RP Shahi.

The new members joined the saffron party in the presence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das, BJP state President Lakshman Giluwa and party's election in-charge Nand Kishore Yadav.

"Today is an important day for the BJP. The veteran leaders of Congress Sukhdeo Bhagat and Manoj Yadav, JMM legislator Kunal Sarangi and former IAS and IPS officers have joined the party over issues of development and nationalism," said Das.

"The 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls negated caste, religion, dynasty politics in favour of the politics of development. These legislators are joining the BJP for development, nationalism and a stable government," Das added.