BJP rushes Sumitra to see Jharkhand crisis: Babulal adamant

Ranchi, May 19 (UNI) Hectic parleys and closed door meetings today continued in the Jharkhand BJP with arrival of more central leaders, assigned to keep the morale of confused party cadres high, following the crisis triggered by Mr Babulal Marandi's resignation from the party yesterday.

Among various options being worked out to retain the party's position intact in the state, the leadership was understood to have even considered change of guard, both at party and government levels to placate Mr Marandi, who till yesterday was the BJP's national vice-president.

Mr Marandi, also the first Chief Minister of Jharkhand, has been saying he had no agenda to topple the Arjun Munda government and instead wanted to give more time to the present BJP government to let people see its ''misgovernance.'' Besides, state BJP President Yadunath Pandey was also reportedly not on good terms with Mr Marandi.

Yesterday, three Rajya Sabha members -- Mr Yashwant Sinha, Mr Devdas Apte and Mr Ajay Maru -- had been despatched and today BJP National Vice President and also in-charge of Jharkhand affairs Sumitra Mahajan arrived to have an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

Ms Mahajan held discussions with the chief minister on the situation and was scheduled to return to New Delhi by this evening.

She also met various party leaders.

Based on her report, the high command was likely to announce its next move, a senior party leader said.

The BJP is aware of the thin majority it enjoys in the assembly with ruling NDA (BJP-30, JD (U)-6, NCP-1, IND-2, JP-1 AJSU-2 and one nominated member) having 43 members while opposition UPA (JMM-17, Cong-9, RJD-7, CPI (ML)-1, UDGP-2, FB-2 and IND-1) has a total of 39.

A slight erosion in the NDA might cast doom for the party's prospect in the state, political observers said.

The BJP's despair became more acute when yesterday Mr Sinha and his two colleagues could not resolve the issue/ This morning, Mr Marandi rushed to Hazaribag from Giridih and was holding meetings at several places on his way to Ranchi.

Simultaneously, Mr Sinha and Mr Apte also left for Hazaribag.

Party sources last night made it clear that efforts were on to bring back Mr Marandi to the party fold, but any meeting among the trouble shooters and the rebel leader would be deemed as unoffical.

However, the trio, considered close to Mr Marandi, were still on their job, which seemed difficult considering the defiant leader's adamant stand on issues of corruption, extremism and poor development, the charges he has levelled aginst the Munda-government.

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