Ranchi: In an effort to make the road to assembly smoother for their state president, Babulal Marandi, BJP's crisis management team, under the leadership of Union home minister Amit Shah welcomed the second richest candidate in the electoral fray of Jharkhand, Niranjan Rai, into the saffron party fold on Saturday.
The joining assumes importance as Rai enjoyed a substantial support base in Dhanwar and had the potential to dent the BJP candidate's prospects. Rai belongs to the so-called forward class and was actively engaged with the electorate.
Godda MP Nishikant Dubey had approached Rai before the last date for withdrawal of names. On Saturday, BJP's co-in-charge for Jharkhand polls and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma along with Dubey flew to Jamamo Mata Temple in Tisri block of Giridih, located near Rai's native Papilo village. Rai met the duo and joined them in the flight back to Dharwar.
Urging the voters not to read between the lines that he was coerced, Rai said "I have returned to the family. Sometimes there are issues in the family, but they can be resolved." Rai was earlier with BJP but decided to contest as an independent when Marandi was given a ticket just before assembly elections.
The ‘poaching' has not gone down well with the INDIA bloc. Accusing BJP of ‘purchasing' candidates, JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said, "BJP should explain at what price they purchased the loyalty of Niranjan Rai, who is one of the declared rich candidates of the state. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is requested to consider this development as a defection and stop both the candidates of BJP — Babulal and Niranjan — from contesting the polls."
Meanwhile, INDIA bloc's alliance partner CPIML has fielded Rajkumar Yadav opposite JMM's Nizamuddin Ansari on the seat.