Marandi to announce his next programme in a day

Setwand, May 17 : BJP national vice-president Babulal Marandi, who began a 24-hour fast here today, declined to confirm or deny rumours about his resignation from the party post.

''The next programme would be declared tomorrow,'' he told UNI.

Mr Marandi, the former Jharkhand Chief Minister, was accompanied by senior BJP MLA Ravindra Rai and other supporters.

He, however, clarified that said his agitation was not aimed at seeking change of leadership in the Arjun Munda-led government in the state.

''I took up the issue of extremism and development and chose Setwand to increase public awareness as the naxalite movement originated here,'' he said.

Mr Ravindra Rai, echoing the former chief minister, said the agitation was to pressurise the government to take up developmental issues on its priority agenda.

Mr Marandi's decision to go ahead with the agitation, which he termed as a "fight for the cause of Bharat Mata", assumed significance after BJP's central emissary's tour to the state. Mr Joshi, the party's national general secretary, on May 15 night had a closed door meeting with Mr Marandi which failed to break the ice.

Before his meeting with Mr Joshi, Mr Marandi had addressed a press conference at his official residence where he announced to launch a stir and accused the party leadership of "not listening to him" on many important issues regarding the state.

Mr Marandi said his fast would be staged at Setwand in Giridih district to draw the Centre's and the state government's attention to insurgency problems in the state.

He justified the choice of venue saying a major portion of his parliamentary constituency Kodarma is naxalite-dominated and attributed it to under development of the area.

He said many blocks of Giridih district share 70 km stretch with Bihar which is also marked by thick jungles.

''I have chosen a backward place to highlight my agenda,'' Mr Marandi had said.

He said insurgency was not only a problem of Jharkhand but of the whole country, adding 18 of the total 22 districts in his state were naxalite-dominated.

UNI