Many from BJP in touch with us, but have kept them waiting, says JMM

Bokaro: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Friday claimed that several MLAs and prominent leaders from the BJP are in touch with them for tickets ahead of the elections, but the party is evaluating their actions and asking them to rectify their sins.

After Ajsu Party’s former Chandankyari MLA Umakant Rajak and BJP’s outgoing Jamua MLA Kedar Hazra joined JMM in Ranchi, the party’s spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said, “Scores of BJP leaders are in touch with us. But we have put up a barrier and asked them to do ‘paschatap’ (regret) for their sins. Only then, we will let them in.”

JMM referred to Rajak as an old comrade who started his political journey during the statehood movement days. On Hazra, JMM said: “He was suffocating in the BJP’s ecosystem and hence came over to us.”

Rajak’s move to JMM ended the contest between BJP and Ajsu Party over the Chandankyari seat.

While speculations were abuzz about his potential move, it was only on Friday morning that Rajak tendered his resignation. Speaking to TOI after his induction into JMM, Rajak said, "The CM has welcomed me back, and I am committed to strengthening JMM."

This move sets the stage for a direct contest between Rajak, now the JMM candidate, and BJP leader of the opposition, Amar Bauri. Rajak's political journey has seen him start with JMM, later transitioning to Ajsu-P, where he won the Chandankyari seat in 2009.

However, he faced defeat against the BJP in the 2014 elections. In the 2019 elections, Bauri received 67,739 votes, while Rajak trailed by 58,528 votes.

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