One out of the six MlAs crossing over to the BJP from JVM after Assembly polls in 2015 Navin Jaiswal presented his case before the Speaker’s Tribunal on Friday. The Hatia legislator in his testimony maintained and toed the line similar to most of the previous witnesses presented by the defence in this so far.
“Navin Jaiswal said in his statement that a meeting had taken place of the party leader at Daladali of Ranchi where decision to merge the JVM into the BJP was taken. Following that he along with others members of the party merged into the BJP,” said an Assembly official present in the court of Speaker Dinesh Oraon.
Moreover, his claims, though it was not new since most of the witnesses presented by the MlAs have reiterated this only on every previous occasion, was retorted and countered by JVM lawyer RN Sahay before the Tribunal.
“I kept asking him for proof of any kind about the said merger for about one and half hours. Despite that he could not present any. He just said that the he along with entire JVM had decided to merge into the BJP. His statement has been recorded,” said Sahay.
The prosecution JVM crossed Navin Jaiswal’s statement while terming it fake and claimed that decision to suspend him and other rebels from the party was taken ahead of the merger claims and no such said meeting to decide about the merger had ever happened.
Meanwhile, a letter from Amritesh Singh Chauvan, who claimed to be holding position of vice president in the State BJP’s Farmers’ Cell at the time when the ‘defection’ had taken place, sent to the Assembly Speaker on April 24 came to fore on Friday.
Chauvan in his letter has expressed his anguish over “delay” taking place in this case and also over the “indifferent response” shown by the six MlAs. He has sought permission of the Speaker to present himself before the Tribunal.
“Since I was close to then State in-charge Trivendra Singh Rawat, then State BJP president Ravindra Rai and Organisational secretary Rajendra Prasad Singh along with senior leaders at that time, I was privy to the plans and strategies happening at that time. I got lots of information about the defection which I would like to present before you which can come handy to the hearing,” reads the letter received by the office on April 24.
When contacted Chauvan claimed having the entire “money trail’ have had happened after the Assembly elections. “I have all the documentary and electronic proofs with me. I was quiet because they had promised me but betrayed. I have requested the Speaker to provide me an opportunity else I would approach the High Court,” said Chauvan who is not holding any post in the organisation at present.
Six legislators namely Amar Kumar Bauri, Alok Chaurasia, Navin Jaiswal, Randhir Singh, Janki Prasad Yadav and Ganesh Kumar Ganjhu after getting elected on the JVM ticket had opted to the BJP and entered into the government led by CM Raghubar Das.