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"I am not helpless"

At times feeling marginalised in the party, says Babulal Marandi

Ranchi: Taking a much-softer stand on his ongoing tirade against the Arjun Munda-led Government in Jharkhand, BJP's national vice-president and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi said on Monday that change of leadership in the State's governance was not his political agenda.

Mr Marandi announced to go on 24-hour fasting at Sewatand in Giridih district from May 17 to get his grievances heard.

Asked if he was feeling marginalised in the party, he said he felt so at times but put up a brave face saying, "Mein bebas nahin hun (I am not helpless)."

Yesterday in Jamshedpur Mr Marandi had thrown a challenge to the party's central leadership after launching a tirade against the BJP-led State government from the Jharkhand Vikash Manch (JVM) platform.

Talking to newspersons here this evening, the former Chief Minister said he had made his grievances clear regarding rampant `corruption, non-development and unabated naxalite activities' in the State to the central leadership several times and was still awaiting a patient hearing from them.

"My fight is not against any individual and I am fighting to bring to the nation's attention the poor scenario in my State," Mr Marandi said.

Asked about his fasting, he said it was his campaign and any party including Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and even the BJP were welcome to join him in his fight against corruption.

"I do not believe in personal attack and I am not against Mr Arjun Munda but his policies in which he compromised with corruption," he said.

He ruled out any design to destabilise the present State Government and said that his agitation was aimed at making the people and the Government aware.

Part of JVM

Asked about his present hobnobbing with JVM, he said he was still a part of it.

Regarding the choice of his constituency to launch the hunger strike, he said he would go to any backward place.

"My constituency is naxalite-dominated and it is mainly because of non-development," he said adding his proposed stir was to get the national attention to the core issue.

Turning down the party high command's order to attend the BJP office bearers' meeting in New Delhi yesterday, Mr Marandi preferred to address a huge gathering of the JVM activists from Kolhan region at Michael John Auditorium at Jamshedpur to vent out his feeling against the Arjun Munda Government's failure to tackle the naxalite problem, corruption and tardy development.

Mr Marandi, along with the UPA State convenor Stephen Marandi, MLA, floated JVM, a non-political body, comprising dissident and expelled leaders, cutting across party lines in Santhal Parganas a few months back.

Addressing the gathering, he came down heavily on the NDA Government in the State and alleged that a fear-psychosis gripped the people as the criminals and the extremists were ruling the roost, while the Government had failed to weed out corruption. -- UNI

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"I am not helpless"

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