Ranchi, Jan. 6: With the BJP bent on fielding all its heavyweights to the ballot battlefield, Arjun Munda might find the race for the chief minister?s chair hotting up uncomfortably.
Former chief minister Babulal Marandi might not be his sole rival if former Union minister Karia Munda or Yashwant Sinha decides to enter the fray.
Karia Munda is all set to contest the Khijri Assembly seat currently held by Sawna Lakra of Congress.
The BJP is also trying hard to persuade Yashwant Sinha and Marandi to enter the fray.
After the Lok Sabha debacle, the BJP has decided to use all its heavyweights during the election.
In a departure from the sitting-getting formula, incidentally Yashwant Sinha?s brainchild, around 10 to 15 per cent of the sitting MLAs may be denied tickets this election. The strategy to field a battery of senior leaders in this election was also Sinha?s idea.
State BJP chief said, ?I have been in regular touch with all the party leaders, including Babulal Marandi, Yashwant Sinha, Karia Munda and Ram Tahal Choudhary. If the party asks them to contest the elections, they will be left with no option.?
?Winning the election is now on the top of our priority list. Winnability is our main consideration in seat-sharing and ticket distribution. For this we have decided to field all the senior leaders,? said BJP organisation secretary Hridaynath Singh.
Karia Munda was a potential chief ministerial candidate when both Babulal Marandi and Arjun Munda took the charge of the BJP government. Most importantly, he has the backing of the Sangh Parivar.
Political observers feel that the BJP?s miseries are far from over even if it succeeds in forming the next government in the state.
?Even if our party forms the next government in the state, Babulal Marandi, Arjun Munda, Karia Munda and Yashwant Sinha will keep fighting with each other for control. In the BJP, the party workers are loyal to the individual leaders. No one is accountable to the party organisation,? said a senior politician eager to contest the election.
