Munda: In combat mood

Ranchi, May 11: BJP national vice-president Babulal Marandi?s announcement to take to streets against the Arjun Munda government on the corruption issue has stirred turbulence in the party.

While the act of Marandi has fumed chief minister Arjun Munda, senior BJP leader Karia Munda too is not happy with his act.

Marandi has often been in the limelight for lambasting Munda. He would hold a meeting in Jamshedpur this Sunday along with the UPA convenor, Stephen Marandi.

Refusing to comment on Marandi?s allegations, Munda, who returned today from Delhi, said he was ready to reply to his detractors at the opportune moment.

?Has corruption crept into Jharkhand for the first time or is Jharkhand the most corrupt state in the country? Marandi has complained that a minister demanded Rs 25 lakh from his emissary to get some work done. Why did Marandi keep mum then? Why didn?t he take to task the erring minister? Even today, he is not divulging the names of the real culprits. What does this prove?? Munda told The Telegraph.

Munda said he was ready to reply to Marandi?s charges at the party forum or even at an open platform, but he strongly disapproved the ?dirty politics? being played by his predecessor.

Despite saying that Marandi has not been ignored, the chief minister said he would never tolerate undue interference in his government.

?If Marandi has some problems, he should be talking to me or the party chief directly. He should clearly say what exactly must be done to eradicate corruption from Jharkhand and how the laggard officials could be tightened. But he is talking in vague terms,? Munda added.

Senior BJP leader Karia Munda, too, strongly objected to Marandi?s campaigns.

He said Marandi was free to quit the BJP, but had no right to ruin the party?s traditional image.

The senior leader also criticised the BJP high command for turning a blind eye to the Marandi?s tirades and warned that the party would have to pay the price of being indifferent.

A BJP legislator, who has access to both the camps, said: ?It seems that Marandi has decided to float his own party. He talks to the chief minister quite often and the chief minister too tries his best to oblige Marandi. Still, the ice between them does not break. Marandi has even joined hands with the opposition parties. All these clearly indicate that he has bigger plans in his mind, though assembly elections in the state are far away now.?