Jharkhand: JVM Chief Babulal Marandi Expels Two MLAs, Paves Way For Party’s Merger With BJP In State

Amid moves to merge with the BJP, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha chief Babulal Marandi has expelled MLA Pradeep Yadav from the party on the charges of anti-party activities.

Yadav is the second legislator to be expelled from the party.

"Pradeep Yadav was issued a show cause notice and he was asked to respond within 48 hours. However, as he failed to respond to the notice within the stipulated time, therefore, he has been sacked from the party following the directions of party supremo Babulal Marandi," said principal general secretary of the party Abhay Singh.

On 4 February, the party had issued a show cause notice to Poriyhaat MLA Pradeep Yadav for certain statements made by him which the party said were anti-party.

Yadav has also been accused of making comments against Marandi.

The JVM-P had on January 21 sacked its Mandar legislator Bandhu Tirkey after accusing him of being involved in anti-party activities. Bandhu too was served a show cause notice.

The action against both the legislators is being seen as another step taken by the party on its path to merge with the BJP.

In the Assembly elections, the JVM-P had won three seats, which included Babulal Marandi, Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey.

Both Yadav and Tirkey, according to the party sources, were against the merger with the BJP.

The JVM-P has called a meeting of the party leaders on 11 February. According to party sources, the merger proposal would be discussed in this meeting.

Marandi was the first Chief Minister of the BJP-led state government in Jharkhand. He quit the BJP in 2006 and formed the JVM-P.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)