JD(U) meet in wake of changing political scene in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Jun 29 (UNI) Enthused by JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's special attention to the Jharkhand unit, the party will meet at Hazaribagh tomorrow with a slogan -- ''keep united''-- in the fluid political situation in the state.

Both Mr Yadav and Mr Kumar recently urged the state's party MLAs and other senior leaders to sink differences for the sake of the party.

The party, a partner of the ruling coalition, was understood to have got alerted with the political situation in the state following Mr Babulal Marandi's resignation from the BJP's primary membership that apparently gave a jolt to the BJP-led NDA government under the leadership of Mr Arjun Munda.

In an obvious move to strengthen the party, the national president also formed a steering committee, making Mr Radhakrishna Kishore the convenor and Mr Jaleshwar Mahto president.

The committee comprised all six party legislators, including Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari.

Talking to UNI here today, the party's state president said tomorrow's meeting would be attended by all MLAs and senior leaders at Hazaribagh.

He said with the political situation changing it was time for them to remain united and MLAs were advised to cut across their differences.

Referring to the party's involvement in the present government, Mr Kishore said they would soon meet the Chief Minister and press for more participation in running the government.

Meanwhile, Mr Kishore also took a dig at Jharkhand Vikas Morcha secretary general Stephen Marandi's demand that the Speaker should resign.

Mr Marandi did not have the capacity to be in a government for a long time, Mr Kishore said adding when he was a Minister in the then Bihar government which did not last for ten days and again when he was made Deputy Chief Minister in the Sibu Soren government in Jharkhand that also collapsed within ten days.

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