BJP gears up for JVM-P's merger with party

The BJP has geared up for the formal merger of former Jharkhand chief minister Babulal

Marandi's Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) or JVM-P with the saffron party on February 17.

The event will be attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J P Nadda, Jharkhand BJP spokesperson

Pratul Shahdeo said here on Thursday. He said a meeting chaired by BJP general secretary

(organisation) Dharampal Singh was held at the party office here.

Singh asked the senior party leaders to make the 'Milan Samaroh' (merger ceremony) successful and reviewed the

preparations for the event, Shahdeo said. "The event will be made historic and memorable,"

Shahdeo said quoting Singh's address to the BJP leaders. Shahdeo said thousands of BJP workers from across the

state will welcome former chief minister Babulal Marandi at Jagannathpur Maidan here on February 17.

JVM-P principal general secretary Abhay Singh said that more than 20,000 of its party workers will attend the

event. The party's merger with the BJP will be historic in

Jharkhand politics, a release quoting Singh said. Marandi had on February 11 announced JVM-P's merger

with the BJP, 14 years after he had quit the saffron party and floated his outfit.