Ex-BJP MLAs Louis Marandi, Kunal Sarangi join JMM ahead of Jharkhand assembly polls

Two more former BJP legislators - Louis Marandi and Kunal Sarangi - on Monday joined the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), weeks ahead of the assembly polls in the state. The development also comes barely two days after three-term BJP legislator Kedar Hazra and AJSU Party's Umakant Rajak joined the JMM.

"We joined the JMM today," Sarangi, the BJP's former spokesperson and ex-Bahragora MLA, told PTI.

Marandi, a former BJP legislator, had in 2014 defeated Chief Minister Hemant Soren by a margin of 5,262 votes from Dumka.


In 2019, Soren won from the seat by a margin of 13,188 votes. He, however, vacated the seat and retained the Barhait constituency.

His brother Basant Soren had defeated Marandi by over 6,842 votes in party stronghold Dumka in the bypoll.

Sarangi had in July resigned from the party's primary membership, around a month-and-a-half after stepping down from the post of Jharkhand unit spokesperson.

He sent his resignation to BJP Jharkhand unit president Babulal Marandi, citing various organisational and people-oriented issues in East Singhbhum district.

Sarangi had also expressed disappointment with the party leadership's "indifferent approach" despite his efforts to highlight crucial issues.