AJSU Party has decided to sit in the Opposition and mount pressure on the Government to address ground issues affecting the rural masses of Jharkhand, party spokesperson Deosharan Bhagat said on Wednesday, adding that his party will be on its own in the Jharkhand Assembly and not unite with any other bigger party.
“Uniting with other parties is not an option. JVM (Jharkhand Vikas Morcha) may merge with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), but it is not in our nature to merge with a stronger force in the Assembly after contesting elections against it,” Bhagat said.
The AJSU Party – an old ally of the BJP and partner in almost all the Governments formed in the State till date – went to polls on its own in Jharkhand last year.
While it fielded candidates in at least 52 Assembly constituencies, the party managed to win only two seats – Silli and Gomia. However, the party Chief Sudesh Mahto managed to pull off a win in Silli after a series of losses since 2009.
In 2014, the party contested the elections as an ally of BJP and it was because of AJSU Party’s six MLAs that BJP managed to form a Government here.
However, over the years, the party’s senior leadership has had its share of differences with the policies and decisions of BJP.
Mahto openly criticised the BJP’s efforts to make changes to the tenancy laws in Jharkhand despite his MLAs being a part of the treasury bench dominated by BJP leaders.
Another regional party that contested elections in all the 81 constituencies and managed to win only three seats – former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi-led JVM-P – is in the news for its possibility of joining the BJP.
While AJSU Party has always been a BJP ally, JVM-P has been among the staunchest critics of the BJP’s policies and decisions in the past five years or so.
“There is no comparison between JVM-P and AJSU Party. We have our own ideology and we will stick to our slogan of Abki Baar Gaon Ki Sarkar. Our priority will be rural development,” Bhagat said.
Sources said that the AJSU Party looked to find a new identity in the recently concluded elections in Jharkhand. The party, they added, has made inroads to many areas where it did not have a support base in the past.
In a meeting of leaders held soon after the elections, it was decided that the party will stick to its village-centric politics and prepare for the next elections.