Ranchi: Babulal Marandi has been appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly. The state BJP President was elected as the Leader of the Legislative Party on Thursday in the presence of central party observers. BJP MLAs congratulated Marandi on his appointment.
The position of Leader of the Opposition had been vacant since 2020, except for a brief eight-month period in 2024 when Amar Bauri held the post. The vacancy stemmed from legal and procedural delays after Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) merged with the BJP. Issues surrounding his formal recognition as a BJP MLA had delayed his nomination.
Marandi’s appointment marks the end of the long uncertainty surrounding the role, with the BJP now officially entrusting him with the responsibility. The BJP Parliamentary Board had appointed Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav and MP Dr. K. Laxman as central observers for the election.
A veteran in Jharkhand politics, Marandi made history as the first Chief Minister of the state in 2000. After parting ways with the BJP in 2006 and founding his own party, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha, he rejoined the BJP in 2020.
