Babulal Marandi, a former junior minister in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, says not only Narendra Modi, but also the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was responsible for the 2002 Gujarat massacre. He quit the party and floated Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) in 2006. In an interview to Sahil Makkar, the former chief minister of Jharkhand says his party is a dark horse in the state. Edited excerpts:
Is there really a Modi wave in Jharkhand?
If there were a Modi wave, they (BJP) would not be seeking support of small and regional parties. They would have contested all the 543 seats. The BJP didn’t have candidates to fight elections in Jharkhand. They approached two Jharkhand Mukti Morcha legislators and gave them tickets.
Then why are people discussing Modi’s name?
It’s because it (BJP) has spent millions of rupees on publicity campaigns. But people prefer regional parties to national
ones. National parties get votes because of their divide-and-rule policy.
But JVM had fought the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in 2009...
We were new then. We won one seat in 2009 and lost another by a close margin. But later, we won the Jamshedpur bypoll. We fought on 25 Assembly seats and won 11. Our record is better than any other party’s.
How many seats would the JVM win?
I don’t want to give any number. Our party will be the dark horse in this election and results will be surprising.
Will you support the BJP after the elections?
I will neither support the BJP or the Congress. We might consider supporting the Third Front. The BJP and the Congress are responsible for the mess in Jharkhand. I left the BJP when I got to know that the party compromises on several things to get to power.
Why is Yashwant Sinha not contesting elections this time?
What I have heard is that he made a lot of efforts to make Manoj Yadav fight from Koderma, but the latter was denied a ticket. Sinha would have benefited from Yadav votes in his own constituency and his win was guaranteed. But that didn’t happen. Had Sinha lost, it would have ended his political career. So, he played safe by suddenly launching his son, Jayant. It is a well-planned strategy.
What are the issues for Jharkhand in this election?
Besides basic needs such as roads, health, education and employment, security is an issue. The one being projected as prime ministerial candidate could not stop the massacre of thousands of people in his state. You can’t stop such a massacre only in two conditions—either you are weak or you deliberately allow it to happen. If you were weak, then you should not boast of a ‘56-inch chest’. Similarly, the Congress is responsible for the 1984 riots.
Are you suggesting Modi is responsible for the 2002 Gujarat riots?
I am saying not just Modi, but the entire BJP is responsible for it.
Is there really a Modi wave in Jharkhand?
If there were a Modi wave, they (BJP) would not be seeking support of small and regional parties. They would have contested all the 543 seats. The BJP didn’t have candidates to fight elections in Jharkhand. They approached two Jharkhand Mukti Morcha legislators and gave them tickets.
Then why are people discussing Modi’s name?
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ones. National parties get votes because of their divide-and-rule policy.
But JVM had fought the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in 2009...
We were new then. We won one seat in 2009 and lost another by a close margin. But later, we won the Jamshedpur bypoll. We fought on 25 Assembly seats and won 11. Our record is better than any other party’s.
How many seats would the JVM win?
I don’t want to give any number. Our party will be the dark horse in this election and results will be surprising.
Will you support the BJP after the elections?
I will neither support the BJP or the Congress. We might consider supporting the Third Front. The BJP and the Congress are responsible for the mess in Jharkhand. I left the BJP when I got to know that the party compromises on several things to get to power.
Why is Yashwant Sinha not contesting elections this time?
What I have heard is that he made a lot of efforts to make Manoj Yadav fight from Koderma, but the latter was denied a ticket. Sinha would have benefited from Yadav votes in his own constituency and his win was guaranteed. But that didn’t happen. Had Sinha lost, it would have ended his political career. So, he played safe by suddenly launching his son, Jayant. It is a well-planned strategy.
What are the issues for Jharkhand in this election?
Besides basic needs such as roads, health, education and employment, security is an issue. The one being projected as prime ministerial candidate could not stop the massacre of thousands of people in his state. You can’t stop such a massacre only in two conditions—either you are weak or you deliberately allow it to happen. If you were weak, then you should not boast of a ‘56-inch chest’. Similarly, the Congress is responsible for the 1984 riots.
Are you suggesting Modi is responsible for the 2002 Gujarat riots?
I am saying not just Modi, but the entire BJP is responsible for it.