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Babulal Marandi
Babulal Marandi
was born into a poor family of Chhotu Lal Marandi and Harsoo Murmu on November 1, 1958 in Kodayabank village in Giridih district. He received his primary education at Chadori village school and higher secondary from Barmasia high school, at Tisri. He and graduated from Girridih college in 1981-83. Later he got himself admitted at the Ranchi University to pursue his post-graduation in Geography, but left it mid-way and became a school teacher.
In 1983 he became a full time VHP worker and joined BJP In 1990. In 1992, the party made him the president of Bihar Rajya Adivasis Morcha. In 1994, he became the State Secretary of BJP and later the President of Vananchal Samiti.
For the first time in 1991, he contested for the seat of Lok Sabha from 'Dumka(S)' against Shibu Soren but was defeated. Again in 1996, he was defeated by Shibu Soren from the same constituency. But in 1998 avenged his twice-loss by defeating the JMM president Soren from the same constituency. He was made the State Forest and Environment Minister in the NDA government.
In 1999 parliamentary polls he once again returned to the Lok Sabha from Dumak (S). But this ime he defeated Ruby Soren, wife of Sibu Soren, the then president JMM. After that he was nominated as the first chief minister of Jharkhand.
Consequently, on the midnight of 14th November, 2000, he took oath as the first Chief Minister of Jharkhand. However, he could not continue for long.
Jharkhand plunged into a serious political crisis on March 13, 2003 after the resignation of seven ministers and the Speaker's announcement of the defeat of the BJP-led government in voting on a cut motion on a Money Bill.
Marandi contested the claim of rebel Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari that the government had lost on the Opposition cut motion saying there had been no vote in the House. Namdhari sought Marandi's resignation.
Forty-two legislators later met Governor M Rama Jois and staked claim to form a new dispensation. However, the Governor refused to entertain their claim and instead told Marandi to prove his majority and also get the budget passed by the House by March 31. But Marandi handed over his resignation letter to Governor on March 17, 2003, hours before he was to face a trial of strength.
