Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, co-incharge of the Jharkhand elections for the BJP, has stated that there is limited space in the party for Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLAs eager to join.
Speaking to mediapersons in Ranchi on Monday, Sarma revealed that numerous MLAs from Congress and JMM have been in touch with him, expressing interest in switching sides.
"So many legislators are in touch, but we don’t have space for everyone in the party," Sarma said, adding humorously, "Our BJP MLAs will start thrashing me if I start taking names of Congress, JMM MLAs."
Sarma elaborated that at any given time, around 12 to 14 Congress MLAs and two to three JMM MLAs are in contact with him. However, disclosing their names would upset current BJP members who might feel threatened over their own constituencies.
The remarks come amid allegations by former Congress minister Bandhu Tirkey, who claimed Sarma had approached him with an offer to destabilise the state government two years ago, which he refused.
When asked about former Chief Minister Champai Soren's role in the upcoming elections, Sarma said, "We have asked him to start campaigning for the party in his own style. We have not set any rules for him. He is a seasoned leader and knows his job."
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