A union cabinet reshuffle may still be a while away but Babulal Lal Marandi of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) is bound to find a slot when it happens. According to Congress party stalwarts, the former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief minister of Jharkhand has won the hearts of many in the high command (read Sonia Gandhi).
Though the Congress failed to form the government after the assembly polls threw up a hung assembly, the party could expand its base in the tribal dominated state with Marandi’s help. The Congress-JVM-P alliance won 25 seats in the 81-member assembly but fell short of 16 seats to cross the half-way mark. But the party is looking at a long-term plan and would have to bank on Marandi’s help.
rounak