The State BJP has declared that if BJP legislative party leader Babulal Marandi is not accorded the status of Leader of Opposition by March 12, then the party will launch a phase-wise agitation in State. State BJP vice president Pradeep Verma said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has approved the merger of JVM-P with BJP and order in this regard has been also issued by the commission in which it has agreed that JVM-P as party has become non-existent and its symbol has been also seized.
He said that now as per the norms Babulal Marandi should be made the Leader of Opposition without further delay so that the house can function without any hindrance. Verma indirectly attacking the Soren Government behind delay in granting LoP status to Marandi said, “The State Government is continuously exerting pressure on Speaker and he is prevented from fulfilling his duties which is an attack on the soul of the democracy.”
The BJP leader without naming any leader directly said that the ruling party should understand that the chair of the Speaker is impartial and Opposition had a great role to play in the development of the state therefore for the betterment of the State, the House should immediately declare Babulal Marandi as Leader of Opposition.
The BJP plans to carry out state wide agitation assume importance as last week (March 6), the Election Commission of India (ECI) approved the merger of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) party, led by Babulal Marandi with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ECI in this connection has even issued letter which reads, “Taking into consideration all the documents on record including the report of CEO, Jharkhand, the Commission is satisfied that JVM(P) has merged with the BJP, a National Party. Accordingly, the Commission has decided under the provisions of Paragraph l6 of the Symbols Order, that on its merger with the BJP, the JVM(P) has ceased to exist as a separate political party and the name of the 'Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik)' be removed from the list of political parties," the letter from the ECI read.
Notably, JVM merged with the BJP at an event in Ranchi on February 17 in the presence of Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah.
The BJP has been raising the demand to accord LoP status to Marandi in house since the Assembly proceedings began on February 28.
The Assembly has been witnessing noisy scenes over the delay in designating Babulal Marandi, who was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party recently, as the Leader of Opposition.