Senior vice-president of JMM, Sudhir Mahto, who alongwith JMM MLA in Jharkhand, Bidyut Mahto who met Marandi in Baripada jail today, said a senior party leader in Odisha, Marandi and his supporters were falsely implicated by the district administration of Mayurbhanj "on the behest of the state government to tarnish the image of the party".
Mahto said the JMM launch a massive agitation in protest if Marandi and others were not released unconditionally immediately.
Meanwhile, a total bandh was observed in the Mayurbhanj district yesterday in protest against the arrest of Marandi, who was arrested on November 22 after he allegedly opened fire following an altercation between his younger brother and BJD party workers.