Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda on Saturday offered to resign as leader of the BJP legislative party, a move that has not gone down well with the party's Central leadership.
Munda has sent a letter to BJP chief Rajnath Singh, offering to work for the party 'without any post'. However, this is being seen as a 'pressure tactic' to preempt appointment of the former CM's detractor as State BJP chief.
The party's Central leadership is unlikely to give in to Munda's muscle-flexing, as it feels this would send a wrong signal to 'sulking leaders' in other State units. "His (Munda's) action has been seen as 'pressure' politics. It has not been appreciated (by the Central leadership)," said a Central leader privy to developments.
Sources claimed Munda wanted the post of the State BJP chief for himself and had suggested the name of former Assembly Speaker CP Singh as leader of the legislative party, to deny any manoeuvring "space" to his detractors.
However, the party high command is considering Jamshedpur East MlA Raghuwar Das and former legislator Ravindra Kumar Rai for Jharkhand BJP chief's post. Both are arch rivals of Munda.
"An announcement on the Jharkhand BJP chief is expected in next two days," a source claimed.
While it is almost clear that the former Chief Minister will not get the reins of the party in the tribal State, sources suggest his latest move may even "jeopardise" prospects of his getting a berth in the team of national office-bearers of the party.
Munda's name was doing the rounds, along with Odisha BJP chief Jual Oram, as
general secretary in place of Tapir Gao.