JVM(P) chief Babulal Marandi with the newly elected legislators on Tuesday. (Hardeep Singh)

Ranchi, Jan. 5: The JVM(P) today elected Pradeep Yadav as its legislature party leader in Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha. Yadav represents Poraiyahat in the Assembly and also happens to be party’s principal general secretary.

Ichagarh legislator Arvind Singh will be JVM (P)’s deputy leader in the House. Sindri MLA Phul Chand Mandal has become party’s chief whip in the Assembly and Simaria MLA Jai Prakash Singh Bhokta will be the party’s whip. Giridih MLA Nirbhay Shahabadi has been made the legislature party treasurer.

The remaining six JVM(P) legislators — Samresh Singh, Mistri Soren, Nizamuddin Ansari, Satyendra Nath Tiwari, Chandrika Mahatha and Dhullu Mahto — have been made executive committee members.

Babulal Marandi, JVM(P) chief, said these appointments had been made with consensus of other members.

The newly elected legislators and party’s executive committee members today held a meeting at the party headquarters to discuss their future action plan in the Assembly. The meeting was presided over by Marandi. It was also resolved that they would not be staking claims for deputy speaker and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.

“There is no rift with Congress over these issues. But, as Congress happens to be a bigger partner, we want them to take initiative,” said Marandi.

The JVM(P) supremo repeated that the BJP should clarify under what circumstances it joined hands with the JMM and why the party had suddenly softened its stand towards the Muslims. He opined that BJP-JMM alliance would have an adverse impact on Bihar politics too.

Insiders, however, confided that Bokaro MLA Samresh Singh’s neglect would prove to be a pain in the neck for Marandi in the long run. An outspoken leader and former minister, Singh, was considered a front-runner for all key positions.

In fact, Singh had also played an important role in pulling down Marandi government in 2003.

“If Congress stakes claim for the Leader of Opposition’s chair, JVM(P) would prefer Singh as Assembly’s deputy speaker. But, if the Congress grabs both these positions or the treasury bench ‘discards’ deputy speaker’s appointment, Singh might make Marandi’s life miserable,” said a close confidant of Marandi.