The political churning continued in the State on Wednesday as JMM renegade and sitting Palamau MP Kameshwar Baitha, who first wanted a BJP ticket, joined Trinamool Congress at a party rally in Delhi in the presence of Mamata Banerjee.
Another MlA Hemlal Murmu, who had quit the JMM a few days back, crossed over to the BJP to contest lok Sabha elections from Raj Mahal constituency. Talking to The Pioneer over phone after joining the TMC Baitha termed it the only party which can think about Dhobi. “After leaving the JMM, I explored options in all the national parties, including the Congress and the BJP. None of them represent our caste which is strong in numbers. I would represent people of Palamau in Parliament,” said Baitha.
Fearing to lose his candidature from JMM this time, as Shibu Soren’s party has set aside Palamau for the RJD under seat sharing agreement, Baitha had made beeline at the BJP office last week only and had even announced his induction into the saffron party chanting NaMo. However, he could not get any assurance about party ticket to contest polls, especially from Palamau, the disheartened MP found TMC as right platform to contest election from his favourite bastion. The TMC is already on a hunt in Jharkhand and presently netting as many beleaguered leaders with decent support base into its fold as possible.
Commenting about his failed attempt to join the BJP Baitha said it was a blessing in disguise. “I am fortunate that I saved myself from falling in communalism swamp of the BJP. I want to thank people of Palamau for managing me at the last moment. I will work to strengthen the TMC in not only Palamau but in entire Jharkhand,” added Baitha.
Interestingly in the process the TMC is swelling with more number of sitting legislators in Jharkhand. Till date, three MlAs—Bandhu Tirkey, Chamra linda and Chandrashekhar Dubey—and an MP Kameshwar Baitha have come into its fold. Meanwhile, Murmu formally took membership of the BJP in Delhi in the presence of national party president Rajnath Singh, He blamed his parent party for deviating from its original cause. He also staked his claim to contest Rajmahal lok Sabha seat, “if party finds him a suitable candidate.”
Senior IAS officer Bimal Kirti Singh, who recently took voluntary retirement, also joined the saffron brigade and is likely to be fielded in Jamshedpur to take JVM’s Ajoy Kumar, a former IPS officer. Bad news for Shibu Soren headed JMM continued when it found another dissident in the form of Simon Marandi. Marandi, a trusted companion of Guruji who is also enjoying ministerial berth in the Hemant Soren Government, is said to be unhappy over ticket denial to his son.
“I will announce my future course of action after consulting my supporters. Sense I am getting that there is no place in the party for the old timers like me,” said Marandi in a veiled attack on Chief Minister Hemant Soren.