Marandi remains JVM-P chief

Ranchi: Former chief minister Babulal Marandi is set to become the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) chief once again. He has been the party's president since 2006 when JVM-P was formed.
Marandi filed his nomination for the president's post on Sunday and would be elected unanimously, said JVM-P leader Santosh Kumar. JVM-P will organize a rally at Morhabadi on Monday.A mega political rally of party workers from all districts of the state proposed at city's Morhabadi ground will mark the event, which will be attended by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.
JVM-P won eight assembly seats - Chatra, Latehar, Ranchi, Deoghar, Palamu, Hazaribag, Bokaro and Godda - in the 2014 elections, but six of its legislators defected to BJP.
JVM-P claims to be the voice of the people neglected by the BJP-led state government and 'there are many such people' across all the state. - and claims these areas as party's strongholds. Secularist and socialist in ideology, the party has been vocal on almost all issues directly and indirectly affecting the masses in the state.
In the general assembly, JVM-P principal general secretary Pradeep Yadav said, the route map for political activities would be discussed besides the policies of the government. A discussion is also likely on the issue of defection which JVM-P has challenged in the court of the assembly speaker. A political resolution would follow the discussions where Marandi will share stage with top party functionaries.
Yadav said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will address the general assembly of the party. JVM-P shares an ideological platform with JD(U) and the two have cozied up in recent past to make an attempt to unify anti BJP forces in the country.
JVM-P favors a Bihar like ban on liquor in Jharkhand for which Marandi has raised a strong demand. The liquor ban demand, a JVM-P leader, said might find wide support during the assembly for which party officials have prepared the ground at Morhabadi ground. "The supports and party workers have arrived in the city on Sunday from faraway places. Around 40,000 workers are expected to reach the ground by tomorrow morning," said Santosh.