By IANS,
Ranchi : With assembly elections likely in a few months, several politicians in Jharkhand are busy switching loyalties, hoping to get a ticket.
The state, which is under president’s rule since Jan 19, is likely to have assembly polls in October-November. So far, seven politicians who are either former ministers or legislators of the present assembly have switched parties.
On Friday, three legislators joined the Congress in New Delhi in the presence of state party in-charge Kesav Rao and senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes. The three are Radha Krishan Kishore of Janata Dal-United (JD-U), former deputy chief minister and independent legislator Stephen Marandi and Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Chunna Singh.
Rabindra Singh, state Congress spokesperson, told IANS: “The Congress will be strengthened with the three leaders joining us.”
The Congress claims that around a dozen leaders of different political parties are in touch with Kesav Rao and other Congress leaders in order to join the party.
Former minister and JD-U leader Bachcha Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last week. Another former minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Samresh Singh joined the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P). The JVM-P founder is former chief minister and Lok Sabha MP Babulal Marandi.
Shailendra Mahto, a former Lok Sabha MP, joined the JD-U. He had fought the Lok Sabha election on an All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) ticket.
More leaders from different political parties are likely to switch in the coming days.
According to sources, many independent legislators facing graft charges are trying to join mainline political parties.
Six former Jharkhand ministers face graft charges. Sources in the Congress and BJP say these former ministers, who are also legislators of the current assembly, have sent them feelers.