'I thank Atalji for his kind gesture': Marandi

Ranchi, Jun 3 (UNI) Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) president Babulal Marandi today ruled out rejoining the BJP, but at the same time thanked Forer Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and others for their ''kind gesture's'' towards him.

'' I thank Ataljee for his kind gesture towards me and also to other well wishers in the BJP ,but now I have nothing to do with the party and its affairs, Mr Marandi said.

Addressing a press conference at his residence on the occasion of announcing the constitution of a 15-member central committee and the issue of the official flag of the JVM, Mr Marandi, who resigned from the primary membership and national vice-presidentship of the BJP last month after levelling corruption charges against his own party in the state, said, '' I have left the party and I do not have anything with BJP affairs now. I have also left the good and bad of the party with it.'' When asked to comment on the recent remarks of Mr Vajpayee who in an indirect reference to Ms Uma Bharti, Mr Marandi and Mr Madan Lal Khurana expressed concern over some senior leaders leaving the party in the national executive meet of the BJP, Mr Marandi said, ''I can only thank Vajpayeeji and other well wishers in the party but as I have left it, I cannot comment on its internal affairs.'' To another query Mr Marandi said he had not contacted Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi regarding any new political alliance in Jharkhand.

He said as of now he would work under the banner of JVM and on an appropriate time announce the formal constitution of a regional party as per his earlier announcement.

UNI RAJ KK MA RK1858