After days of uncertainty in the State BJP, party’s central leadership is likely to take a call on leadership issue in Jharkhand, deciding whether president Tala Marandi would continue on his post or a new person would be given the command to keep a balance among the two prominent factions of the party. Senior leaders of the State on Monday left for Delhi to take part in the core committee meeting scheduled on Tuesday.
Union Minister of State for Agriculture Sudarshan Bhagat, former CM Arjun Munda, former State president-cum-Koderma MP Ravindra Kumar Rai, Chatra MP Sunil Singh would take part in the meeting while, CM Raghubar Das will stay back to hold Cabinet meeting here. State in-charge TS Rawat, Joint Secretary (Org) Saudan Singh and General Secretary Ramlal, who have been in the know of things at Ranchi, will also attend the meeting to take a decision.
“State in-charge TS Rawat had come here and taken views from several party leaders. We hope that the party would do justice with the president’s post and give the responsibility to a more responsible person here,” said a party official requesting anonymity.
“There is a kind of chaos and confusion here because he (Tala Marandi) is not relenting despite the central leaders’ directions. If you cannot take along the team, you should not be at the leading position,” he added.
Meanwhile, insiders also revealed that a faction of leaders in the party was unhappy with the way Tala Marandi episode was blown out of proportion at the State BJP. Some hinted that the tribal leaders were still skeptical of the government’s decision on bringing an ordinance for changes in CNT, SPT Acts.
An MlA requesting anonymity said that common party workers were dissatisfied with the party functioning in an autocratic way. “Whether tribal or non-tribal, a worker needs to be heard. You cannot ignore them after elections and scold them when you come to power. This discontent is brewing up among workers. They want to see a leader who would listen to their pleas and walk with them not just order them to work,” he added.
Meanwhile, sources suggested that the party seniors in Delhi were looking for names to replace Tala Marandi. The party wants a tribal leader who could better party’s position in JMM’s bastion Santhal Pargana but there are few names from the region to be given such huge responsibility, they added.
Earlier, State BJP president Tala Marandi had proposed to resign from his post following protests against his selection of team members for the State Working Committee. The party, however, had asked Marandi to continue discharging his duties as State president till August 23. Marandi was also pulled up by party members for iterating his stand on CNT, SPT Acts that he did not support any changes in the laws meant to protect the land of the tribal people.