Jharkhand's JVM-P authorises ex-CM to decide on new party

The Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P), led by former chief minister Babulal Marandi, on Sunday passed a resolution authorising him to take a decision on the formation of a new party in alliance with the JD-U and the RLD.

"There is a move to crush the regional parties and attack the federal system of the country. If any forum is formed at the national level, the JVM-P will become its part," Pradeep Yadav, a JVM-P legislator and party general secretary, told reporters here.

There were talks of forming the new party by merging JVM-P with the Janata Dal-United of Sharad Yadav and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Lok Dal led by former union minister Ajit Singh.

According to sources, a proposal for the new party came from the JD-U.

"As proposed, a national-level party will be formed by merging the three parties. The Uttar Pradesh assembly elections are scheduled next year. The new party will try to make its presence felt in that state in a big way."

The sources said Marandi could be nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the JD-U from Bihar. The JD-U has no legislator in the Jharkhand assembly. Marandi will be the new party's face in his state.

Marandi's party won eight assembly seats in the 2014 elections. However, the BJP managed to lure away its six legislators.

Marandi became the first chief minister of Jharkhand in 2000 when the BJP formed the government. He however quit the BJP in 2006 and floated his own party.

The JVM-P won 11 and eight seats in the 2009 and 2014 assembly polls respectively.