2 former State Congress presidents keen on homecoming

Two of the former presidents of Jharkhand Congress who had quit the party ahead of the 2019 Assembly election are keen to join the Congress back as they are not feeling comfortable in the party they had joined.

However, the Congress witnessed a significant revival in Jharkhand in the last Assembly election where the party contesting as junior ally of the JMM was successfully in increasing its tally and also became part of the JMM led government.

But the party witnessed rebellion as three former State presidents namely Dr. Ajoy Kumar, Sukhdeo Bhagat and Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu quit the party ahead of the election. Kumar joined the Aam Aadmi Party and was elevated as national spokesperson whereas Bhagat and Balmuchu joined the BJP and AJSU Party respectively.

Bhagat and Balmuchu unsuccessfully contested assembly election as the nominee of BJP and Ajsu Party.

But both are now keen to join the Congress as they don’t feel comfortable in the new house that they had joined with some expectations.

Balmuchu had even attended a programme organised by the Congress in memory of its veteran leader PN Singh and even issued statements in support of chief minister Hemant Soren.

Sources in the Congress claimed that Balmuchu has spoken to some of the senior Central leaders of the party to explore the possibility of his joining in the Congress.

Bhagat had decided to quit the Congress right after the parliamentary election. Bhagat contested from Lohardaga parliamentary seat and he narrowly lost the election from his BJP rival and sitting union minister Sudarshan Bhagat. The former JPCC chief had accused State Congress president Rameshwar Oraon and some other leaders for plotting against him in the parliamentary election. Both Bhagat and Oraon are from Lohardaga and often their political interests clashed.

After defeat in the Assembly election Bhagat gradually started maintaining distance with the BJP. He is neither in touch with party leaders nor does he attend any of the meetings.

Few days back Bhagat shared his view on the social site where he is seen criticizing the overall policy of the Narendra Modi led NDA government.

Sources close to Bhagat said that he feels uncomfortable in the BJP and feels that joining the BJP was an erroneous decision. Like Balmuchu, Bhagat is also in touch with central leadership.

But a section of the party in Jharkhand is opposed to his comeback and definitely the camp led by Oraon will prevent their entry in the party.

“I don’t know whether those who left the Congress for personal political gain will have an easy entry and they will be welcomed. If you remember the party had taken a decision that those who had quit the party door will not be opened for them,” said a senior party leader.