Former BJP leaders Dr Lois Marandi, Kunal Sarangi join JMM

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], October 22 (ANI): After joining Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), former BJP leaders Dr Lois Marandi, Kunal Sarangi and Ganesh Mahali, met Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren on Monday.
Speaking to ANI, after joining JMM, former BJP Vice President Dr Lois Marandi said that she did not want to contest the assembly polls from Barhait as she gave 24 years to Dumka, however the BJP did not listen to her.
"I gave so much time to the party (BJP), day and night I kept working for the people and obeyed every instruction of the party with at most sincerity but when the elections came, party told me to contest from Barhait. I gave 24 years to Dumka so how can I contest the election from Barhait? I know nothing about that place but I know everything about Dumka...so I refused to contest election from Barhait. Party did not listen and fielded someone else from Dumka...I need a platform to serve the people...I spoke to CM Hemant Soren and he welcomed..." Dr Lois Marandi said.
While former BJP leader Kunal Sarangi who also joined the JMM alleged that if a leader wants to get promoted in BJP then he or she must have degrees in corruption.
Kunal Sarangi said, "I have come back to my family, it is not a rejoining because this was the platform which was given to me by CM Hemant Soren which offered me an opportunity to enter Jharkhand politics and serve people...now I have returned because when I had joined BJP, I went with a thought that perhaps through a national platform I would get to serve more people...but contrary to that the only parameter that they have is, in order to get promoted...is how many 'Ganesh parikramas' you do every day and absolute sycophancy...perhaps you also need to have few degrees in corruption..."
"So these are the learnings that I have received in the last four and half years stay in that party and I am very happy that I have retured to where I started my politcial journey from," he added.
Voting in Jharkhand will be held in two phases - November 13 and 20. Votes will be counted on November 23.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday announced that the INDIA bloc will contest the Jharkhand Assembly polls together and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress will contest 70 of 81 seats in the state assembly.
Hemant Soren said the remaining seats will be contested by other parties of the INDIA bloc and talks are underway with RJD and Left parties.
The BJP announced the first list of 66 candidates for the Jharkhand Assembly elections earlier on Saturday.
The party's state chief Babulal Marandi will contest the elections from Dhanwar, Lobin Hembrom from Borio and Sita Soren from Jamtara. Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Champai Soren has been nominated as the candidate from Saraikella, Geeta Balmuchu from Chaibasa, Geeta Koda from Jaganathpur and wife of Union Minister Arjun Munda, Meera Munda has been nominated from Potka.
BJP will contest the elections in alliance with the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). BJP will contest 68 seats, AJSU 10 seats, JD-U two seats and LJP one seat.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha as part of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) contested 43 seats, Congress contested 31 seats and the Rashtriya Janata Dal seven seats in the 81-member assembly. The UPA attained victory by winning 47 seats against BJP's 25 seats. (ANI)