Fomer BJP legislator quits party

Jamshedpur, May 19 (UNI) Following the footsteps of his mentor Babulal Marandi, former BJP MLA from Seraikela Anantram Tudu has resigned from the party's primary membership to 'strengthen the hands' of the former Chief Minister.

Mr Tudu, who joined the party in 1984, won from the Seraikela assembly seat in 2000 but was denied a ticket in the 2005 elections.

Mr Tudu told mediapersons at Seraikela yesterday that he had sent his resignation letter to state BJP president Yadunath Pandey and the party's Seraikela-Kharsawan district president.

Reposing his faith in the leadership of Mr Marandi,the former legislator,who joined the Jharkhand Vikash Morcha, said Mr Marandi played a pivotal role in consolidating the BJP in the state, particularly in the Santhal Pargana region.

''But today he is overlooked by his own party and sidelined,'' Mr Tudu lamented and cautioned that the BJP had to 'pay the price' for this.

UNI BDG PL AKP SY PM1344