Babulal Marandi takes over as JVM president

Ranchi, May 27 : Former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, who has resigned from the BJP, has taken over as president of the newly formed Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (JVM), a non-political organisation at a well attended meeting here last night.

Former deputy chief minister and independent MLA Stephen Marandi was nominated as its general secretary.

After taking over charge, Mr Marandi predicted the fall of the BJP-led NDA state government and urged morcha activists to prepare themselves for a major political offensive to free the state from ''the clutches of alleged corrupt and anti-people government.'' He reiterated that he would continue his fight to end corruption and extremism, which had halted the development works in the state.

The JVM president also announced that a new regional poltical party would be formed to mobilise the support of all sections of the people in the state.

Meanwhile, the state unit of the Congress extended support to Mr Marandi's ''fight against the corruption and extremism.'' In a statement, state Pradesh Congress Committee(PCC) leader Pradeep Balmuchu also appealed to the senior opposition leaders including Jharkhand Mukti Morcha(JMM) supremo Sibu Soren and former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi, to stop criticising each other and be united in the interests of the state.

Mr Balmuchu said Mr Marandi had resigned from the BJP on the issues for which the opposition parties were fighting inside and outside the Assembly.

UNI