Babulal Marandi 'in talks' to return to BJP

RANCHI: BJP's "surprise defeat" in the recent Jharkhand assembly elections has prompted its central leadership to hold talks with JVM-P president Babulal Marandi, seeking his return to the saffron party as its state president, sources said. The talks, sources said, have been going on for some time.
Also, rumours that Marandi will merge JVM-P with BJP and emerge as leader of opposition for the saffron brigade has been doing the rounds, after he recently dissolved all sub-committees of his party.
Both parties rejected these as "mere speculation". The JVM-P chief was not available for comment. His aide Tuhid Alam told TOI, "There is no indication of merging with BJP or any other party. We have extended support to the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and we stand by our party leader's decision."
State BJP spokesperson Pratul Sahdeo said, "The issue of leader of opposition and president of state BJP is being considered by our central committee in Delhi."