Refuting allegations that his MlAs were involved in any kind of corruption or cross voting during the Rajya Sabha poll 2016, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) Chief Babulal Marandi on Saturday gave clean chit to his party legislators and said that the charges were baseless and blown out of proportion by some political parties in the State.
Speaking to mediapersons at a Press conference, Marandi said that it was imprudent and unjust to level corruption allegations to legislature Party leader (Pradeep Yadav) of JVM who fight against corruption and raise his voice inside Assembly and fight for people’s rights elsewhere.
Marandi was clearing his party’s stand on the allegations made by JMM recently after the exit of JVM leader Sunil Sahu, who had said that the JVM chief was in the know of the RS polls cross voting issue.
The former CM, on the occasion, ridiculed other opposition parties and maintained his stand of involvement of outsiders in political drama in RS elections held in June this year which saw ‘in principle’ joint candidate from JMM Basant Soren losing to BJP leader Mahesh Poddar.
“I firmly believe that our party has never remained involved in any unethical practices including the latest RS polls,” claimed Marandi. Citing example of 2012 RS polls, he claimed on Saturday that the party never compromised with its core values, and it would only intensify its fight to bring the truth of alleged horse trading activities in RS polls this year.
“Everyone knows what happened in 2012 RS polls. It was none other than us, the JVM, which made formal complaint to Election Commission of India (ECI) against horse trading activities which took place in that election.
And we won and those found guilty prima facie even were sent to jail. Fighting against corruption is an integral part of our core values and we won’t compromise with it,” said Marandi.
Sahu, considered very close to Marandi resigned a couple of days ago claiming that two party MlAs had accepted money for cross-voting and Marandi was familiar with this development. However, Marandi ridiculed calling charges baseless. He said that the results wouldn’t have been what they happened, if he were aware of anything like that.
“If I was aware about it as they are claiming now, why did I make a complaint of horse-trading and write to the ECI after the electionIJ Our party has never compromised with corruption,” claimed Marandi. However, he said that keeping present assembly equations in mind, second candidature from the ruling party itself was evident enough to smell something unethical was going to take place. Yet, he denied the charges of familiarity of his party MlAs being bribed for cross-voting.
Replying to a question, he said that JVM would always be a part of any joint effort of fighting for the well-being of the Jharkhand, regardless exchanges of accusations related to RS polls.