Rebels angry with ticket denial are causing a huge headache to the BJP as these rebels are being seen as once preventing the lotus from blooming in Jharkhand. These rebels are active in not one or two but almost every assembly constituency. Due to the presence of such disgruntled leaders, the seats where the BJP has always been strong seem worrisome for the party ahead of elections.
It may be noted that the BJP has announced 66 candidates so far for Jharkhand elections and since then the rebels have been causing trouble for the party. Just before the Jharkhand elections, the biggest shock the BJP got was from former minister Louis Marandi, who had defeated Hemant Soren. Luis left the BJP and joined Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and along with Louis, former BJP MLAs Kunal Sarangi and Laxman Tudu also joined JMM.
Rebels a cause of worry for BJP
In various assembly constituencies, many angry BJP leaders have rebelled against the party and filed nominations as independents or with the support of other parties. For example in Ranchi, the BJP is facing the maximum heat due to the highest number of rebel leaders like Munchun Rai, Uttar Yadav and Sandeep Verma who have filed their nominations as independent candidates.
The increasing number of dissidents within the party has increased the concern of the BJP and so the party has started persuading these rebels for the Jharkhand assembly elections wherein Himanta Biswa Sarma has been meeting them to convince them. Under the ‘Operation Rebel Clean’ top BJP leaders are going door-to-door to persuade the disgruntled ones. Jharkhand BJP election in-charge Shivraj Singh Chauhan, co-in-charge Himanta Biswa Sarma and central organisation general secretary BL Santosh are actively meeting these rebels to persuade them to stay in the party fold.
It may be noted that after persuading Maneka Sardar, who was angry over the denial of a ticket from Potka seat, senior BJP leaders are busy persuading other dissidents. Additionally, Sarma and party MP Deepak Prakash reached the house of Kamlesh Ram, who is contesting as an independent from Kanke assembly seat, to persuade him. Meanwhile, BJP state president Babulal Marandi has said that efforts are being made to persuade the party leaders who are angry and are standing as rebel candidates.
Dr. Ravindra Kumar Rai another disgruntled leader was persuaded after the party made him the state working president. Dr. Rai wanted a ticket from Rajdhanwar, Giridih, Bagodar or Gandey of Giridih district. The news of him contesting the election as an independent candidate had created a stir within the party though Rai denied these reports. Rai has now been given the responsibility of the post of state working president.
BJP had another major success in Potka where former MLA Maneka Sardar was persuaded by Meera Munda, wife of former Union Minister Arjun Munda after which Sardar withdrew her resignation. To add to BJP’s problems, senior Jharkhand BJP leaders Louis Marandi, Ganesh Mahali, former MLA Kunal Sharangi, Anant Ram Tudu and MLA Kedar Hazra resigned from the primary membership of the party and joined JMM. JMM also announced Louis Marandi as the candidate from Jama, Ganesh Mahali from Saraikela and Kedar Hazra from Jamua.
Allies too struggling with rebels
BJP is not only struggling with their rebels but also with rebel candidates of alliance parties. For example in the Hatia assembly constituency, BJP has once again fielded Naveen Jaiswal. Bharat Kanshi, who was hoping for a ticket from All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) from this seat, has become angry and has increased BJP’s worries by contesting as an independent candidate. Similarly, after the opposition to Kamlesh Singh from Hussainabad came out openly within the party, now-rebel AJSU candidate Kushwaha Shivpujan Mehta has also left the party and is trying to establish his foothold.
What is the reason for rebellion in BJP?
The rebel leaders who left BJP just before the elections and joined JMM or are talking about contesting as independents claim that the party is caught in the trap of turncoats and nepotism. Tickets of all these leaders have been cut. This list includes leaders like Kedar Hazra, Maneka Sardar, Sandeep Verma, Luis Marandi, Ganesh Mahali, Malkhan Singh, Vinod Singh, Raj Paliwar and Batul Jha.
