The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Wednesday described as "good riddance" the joining of its two MLAs in the BJP and sought to remind them how former party stalwarts had been left in the lurch after leaving JMM.
JMM Legislators-Jaiprakash Bhai Patel and Kunal Sarangi- joined the BJP earlier in the day along with Congress MLAs Manoj Yadav and Sukhdeo Bhagat and an independent MLA Bhanupratap Sahi.
Along with them, former IPS officers- D K Pandey and Arun Oraon- also took membership of the ruling saffron party.
JMM General Secretary and spokesman Suprio Bhattacharya also said how Jaiprakash Bhai Patel, who joined the BJP, was not only given party ticket following the death of his father Teklal Mahto, a former JMM MP and close associate of party president Shibu Soren, but also made him a minister in the Hemant Soren government.
Patel was suspended by the party a long time ago, Bhattacharya said.
Patel was suspended after he campaigned for the BJP during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections after JMM did not give him a ticket to contest Giridih Lok Sabha constituency.
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"Some political developments happened today hamare jo do vidhayak party chhod kar gaye, hame lagta hei, hamare sangathan mein jo kodh laga tha, uss kodh se mukti mili (it is good riddance that they left the party)," Bhattacharya told a press conference here without taking names of Sarangi and Patel.
Without naming Sarangi, Bhattacharya said that when he approached the JMM to join the ranks, he was told about his background, apparently referring to his father Dinesh Sarangis BJP background.
"He (Sarangi) said he should be given a chance to prove himself, following which we gave him ticket from Baragohra, made him legislature party whip and gave him respect on every platform," Bhattacharya said.
The JMM leader, however, sought to remind the two MLAs who deserted the party, about the fate of stalwarts of the JMM who had left the party in the past, without naming former MP Suraj Mandal and some other leaders.
"We will also give you a Diwali dhamaka as the party is considering some people getting in touch with JMM to join the party," Bhattacharya said.