Six opposition MLAs join BJP ahead of assembly polls in Jharkhand

RANCHI: In a major jolt to the opposition camp in Jharkhand, six sitting MLAs on Wednesday joined the ruling BJP in Ranchi ahead of the assembly polls in the state. The legislators joined the saffron party in the presence of chief minister Raghubar Das.
The MLAs, who switched sides, include Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's (JMM) Kunal Sarangi, JP Bhai Patel and Chamra Linda, Congressmen Sukhdeo Bhagat and Manoj Yadav and Nav Jawan Sangharsh Morch's Bhanu Pratap Shahi.
The defection of legislators is set to weaken the opposition ahead of upcoming polls in the state.
The ruling BJP has already swung into action and started preparing for the ensuing polls. Chief minister Raghubar Das has launched a mass-contact programme through his Jan Aasirbad Yatra.
Sukhdeo Bhagat, the former state Congress chief and Manoj Yadav were on the BJP radar. Bhagat was unhappy with state party chief Rameshwar Oraon whom he held responsible for his defeat in the Lok Sabha polls.
Manoj Yadav too contested the Lok Sabha poll from Chatra seat and lost to the BJP.