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Jharkhand assembly to finally get leader of opposition after four years
Eleven sessions of the 5th Jharkhand assembly, which came into effect in December 2019, have functioned without a leader of opposition
The next session of the Jharkhand assembly is likely to be held with a leader of opposition after four years, as opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named former minister Amar Bauri as its new legislature party leader.
A two-term legislator from Chandankiyari, Bauri would be replacing Babulal Marandi, who has not been given LoP status by Speaker till now due to the disqualification petition against him under the 10th schedule which is pending order from the Speaker’s tribunal.
Eleven sessions of the 5th state assembly since December 2019 have functioned without a LoP. However, with BJP’s new decision, decks have been cleared for a leader of opposition in the upcoming winter session.
Besides naming Bauri as legislature party leader, the party also named JP Patel as the party whip in the assembly. Their names were cleared by the central leadership on Sunday night, party leaders said.
“The names have been cleared as per the report submitted to the central leadership by Union minister Ashwani Chowbey who had met the legislators in July to take their feedback on appointing the new legislature party leader. Most MLAs backed Bauri,” a senior BJP leader said, adding that the state BJP president will recommend the name to the Speaker soon.
The appointment comes after Marandi was elevated as its state unit president.
While the Speaker could not be reached for his comment over the development, ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leaders took a swipe at BJP’s decision.
“The Speaker had requested the BJP to recommend a new name, but they deliberately delayed it for the past four years. And now that they have come up with new names, they have chosen to appoint leaders in key positions who have come from other parties. We are sympathetic towards their other senior leaders,” JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey said.
With the choice of Bauri, state president of BJP’s Scheduled Caste wing, as its legislature party leader, the party has also tried to cement its base in the social combination of Adivasi-Dalits-OBCs, party insiders said.
BJP’s chief whip Biranchi Narayan also belongs to the OBC group, as does JP Patel.
The appointment of a LoP would also pave way for key appointments, including those in the information commission and Lokayukta, among others.
