Babulal Marandi re-elected JVM(P) president

Babulal Marandi was on Friday re- elected as the president of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) that he had floated 14 years ago after walking out of the BJP.

The party also re-constituted its executive committee, which was dissolved on January 5, its Principal General Secretary Abhay Singh said.

Marandi, who led the first BJP government in the newly created Jharkhand in 2000 but quit the saffron party later to float JVM (P) in 2006, is heading the regional outfit continously since its inception.

The new committee comprises as many as nine vice- presidents, six general secretaries and nine secretaries, a party release said.

Sanjay Toppo has been named as the partys treasurer.

There are 122 members of the executive committee, besides 13 leaders heading its different wings and five spokespersons.

Partys two MLAs- Pradip Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey - have found a place in the new team.

Marandi is the other MLA of the party and has lent unconditional support to the new Hemant Soren-led coalition government.

His support to the JMM-Congress-RJD government notwithstanding, media reports are agog with speculation of his possible return to the BJP.

The Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), however, has dismissed the reports.