This time, former chief minister and Koderma MP Babulal Marandi will contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Dumka against JMM chief Sibu Soren.
During Marandi’s tenure as chief minister, the government had issued a notification regarding the domicile policy, which fuelled large-scale violence in the state and till date it remains a potboiler.
Marandi, who was a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, is now serving as the president of Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (Prajatantrik). He started his political career as a member of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and was made organisational secretary in 1983. He held the position till 1993.
In 1994, he was made head of the BJP’s Vananchal Morcha, the wing in erstwhile South Bihar region, which the party created to espouse the cause of Vananchal state (the party accepted it as Jharkhand later).
He also headed the task force on Employment Generation in the field of Khadi and Village Industries for South Bihar. In 1998, he contested the 12th Lok Sabha elections (first time from Dumka), in which he defeated JMM chief Sibu Soren.
{{/usCountry}}He also headed the task force on Employment Generation in the field of Khadi and Village Industries for South Bihar. In 1998, he contested the 12th Lok Sabha elections (first time from Dumka), in which he defeated JMM chief Sibu Soren.
{{/usCountry}}He was then made the Union minister of state for environment and forests in Atal Behari Vajpayee’s cabinet. In 1999 election, he defeated Sibu’s wife Rupi Soren.
Marandi became the first chief minister of Jharkhand in November 2000, when Jharkhand was created, and was elected for Jharkhand assembly in 2001 from Ramgarh assembly segment. He worked as chief minister till 2003.
He also won the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, which he contested as BJP candidate from Koderma. In 2006, he quit BJP and resigned from both parliament and primary membership of the party following some difference with top BJP leaders.
Thereafter, Marandi floated his new political outfit JVM-P. In October 2006, he contested the by-election from Koderma and was re-elected. In 2009, he contested from Koderma once again and won by huge margin. Though was a member of the Lok Sabha, his maximum time was spent to strengthen his party base in Jharkhand. He remained absent for over 260 days deliberations in fifteen session from June 2009 to December 2013.
Marandi also took interest in the development of tribals and is working for their uplifting. He also has authored a book on why greater Ranchi is required. This book was written during his stint as chief minister that reflects his views on development of Ranchi as state capital.