The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) will launch a drive to enlist 50 lakh members ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, a senior party leader said on Tuesday.
The decision was taken at the JMM central committee meeting on Tuesday, which also deliberated on consolidating the party's position in the opposition alliance to defeat BJP in the election.
The leaders at the meeting described BJP central leadership's decision to appoint Babulal Marandi as its state party president as "the last nail in the coffin" of the saffron party in Jharkhand. The meeting was presided over by JMM chief Shibu Soren and participated by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, party MPs, MLAs, leaders and workers.
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Later, Hemant Soren, who is also the JMM executive president, told the press that party leaders and workers who came from different districts were asked to implement the state government's schemes in the far flung areas of the state.
JMM spokesperson and central committee member Vinod Kumar Pande said the country's current political scenario and the party's efforts to forge a national level alliance of opposition parties to defeat BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha poll was discussed.
JMM was among 14 parties opposed to the BJP that took part in the meeting convened in Patna last month by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to chalk out a joint strategy ahead of next year's Lok Sabha poll.
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"Discussions also centred around strengthening party right from booth level, besides launching a drive to enlist 50 lakh members. Discussions were held on strengthening the party in the larger opposition alliance and the strategy for the Dumri assembly by-poll. Discussions were also held on how to take government schemes to the doorsteps of people, " he said.
No decision was taken on JMM contestants for the Lok Sabha seats. "The final decision will be taken in the meeting of the allies over seat sharing," Pandey said. JMM, he said, is always ready to contest whether it is the Lok Sabha or the Assembly poll, due in December next year, and was confident of winning the assembly by-poll at Dumri.
The date for the Dumri by-poll is yet to be announced. The seat fell vacant after death of the state minister Jagarnath Mahto in April. Mahto's widow Bebi Devi was sworn in as a minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet on Monday.
On the appointment of Marandi as the president of BJP in Jharkhand, Pandey said it will be a challenge for the saffron party itself as he has been fighting for his own political existence for the last few years. The JMM has 30 MLAs in the 81-member assembly, while its allies the Congress has 17 legislators and RJD one. The main opposition BJP has 26 MLAs in the House.
