Jharkhand Vikas Morcha chief Babulal Marandi has owned complete responsibility for leading his party to an unexpected backlash during the recently concluded lok Sabha elections in Jharkhand. Though, not going further the party decided not to roll any head for the miserable defeat.
Marandi, addressing his party office bearers, MlAs and other senior leaders for the first time since the poll results came out without giving any seat out of 14 the party contested in the State, blamed the Congress more for the poor show.
“He took the responsibility for the defeat as the party president and called the party leaders to find out ways to do better in the upcoming Assembly elections,” said JVM general secretary and MlA Pradeep Yadav on Wednesday after the meeting.
The party had fielded candidates on all the parliamentary seats of Jharkhand. Even Marandi decided to contest from Dumka at the last moment and fared on third spot after JMM supremo Shibu Soren and the BJP.
This is also the first time since the formation of the JVM that it would go unrepresented in the lok Sabha as the party conceded both the seats it had to the BJP.
Sounding low, the party though did not admit that contesting on all the seats and not forging any alliance were the major mistakes it committed.
It instead consoled over its poll percentage going up from 10.45 per cent to 12.25 per cent in the comparison 2009 elections.
Counting on the reasons behind the whitewash, the party indentified polarisation of votes in the favour of BJP and anti-Congress wave sweeping across the country. “It was the miserable performance of the Congress for last ten years that created huge amount of anger and frustration among the voters. Narendra Modi succeeded in amassing all of that in his favour. We also think that the BJP and the Congress segregated the country into two parts which led to polarisation. In all this the issues raised by us went unheard. JVM could not identify itself as an option with national issues,” said the MlA.
Nevertheless, the party decided to work under Marandi and expects to capitalise on his “image”. “Babulal Marandi is an asset for the party. His image, tenure as chief minister, great character and spotless public life are unparalleled. We would present these in a better manner and project him as CM candidate ahead of the Assembly elections,” added Yadav.
Talking about its future the party reiterated its old stand to contest all the 81 Assembly seats available in the State. “We have struggled in last five years for the issues related to common man. The party would go up to the grassroots level with the issues and also expose the deeds of those who have ruled the State since its formation. We are sure that people of Jharkhand would see us an option,” said Yadav.
As a strategy to regroup, the JVM would hold meetings of its leaders and workers from districts with party leadership in June besides, reviewing party preparations in every assembly segment.