BJP's Kedar Hazra, Ajsu-P's Uma Kant Rajak join JMM

Ranchi: Kedar Hazra, a three-time BJP MLA from Jamua (SC) constituency in Giridih, formally resigned from his party’s membership and joined JMM on Friday. Along with Hazra, Ajsu-P’s two-time MLA Uma Kant Rajak joined the tribal party along with his supporters. Hazra and Rajak were formally inducted into the JMM fold by chief minister Hemant Soren at his govt residence in Kanke Road. Senior JMM office-bearers and Gandey MLA Kalpana Murmu Soren were also present at the occasion.

“We do not hold grudges against anyone. If someone has decided to leave, we wish him the very best. Our only goal is to ensure the development and prosperity of Jharkhand,” Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is BJP’s co-election-in-charge for Jharkhand, said.

Hazra said he joined the JMM as he was inspired by the ideals of its president Shibu Soren and impressed by the working style of Hemant. “I have seen Guru Ji (Shibu) when he began the separate statehood movement from Giridih and its neighbouring areas in 1979. I was a student then. I have seen Hemant Ji work from close quarters and I am impressed with his ways of working,” he claimed. However, BJP insiders claimed that Hazra switched camps after he sensed that he could be benched this time.

Rajak, who lost to BJP’s Amar Kumar Bauri from Chandankyari (SC) seat in 2019 by less than 9,000 votes, switched camps after it became clear to him that Ajsu party will leave the seat to its ally BJP. Bauri, the leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly, is all set to be pitched as the BJP candidate from the seat for the third time these elections. “This is a home-coming for me. I have been a part of the separate Jharkhand movement since 1979 and have served at various posts in JMM.”

Rajak’s joining was not easy for the JMM leadership as it put in efforts to quell dissent in its Bokaro unit. The dissenting karyakartas (workers) relented only after Hemant’s intervention late on Thursday evening, JMM sources claimed. Talking to supporters of Hazra and Rajak after their induction, Hemant likened JMM to a giant banyan tree. “This tree is now providing shade to 3.5 crore people of the state. All of us, which includes tribal and Dalit brothers and sisters, will have to work unitedly. The industrialist friends of BJP are staring at Jharkhand like vultures and we have to stop them together,” the chief minister said.