Congress MP from Jharkhand's Singhbhum (ST) constituency, Geeta Kora, on Monday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party at its state headquarters in Ranchi, and criticised her former party for indulging in “appeasement politics”.
The move comes months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Kora, the wife of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, the lone Congress MP in the state, joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP state president Babulal Marandi.
"I joined the BJP today (Monday). The Congress has put the country in trouble by indulging in appeasement politics. The party says it will take everyone along, but it takes only its family along," she said.
Kora said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who ensured that proper respect was accorded to tribals, and also took a stand for women over various issues.
“Modi ji takes tough decisions in the interest of the country... He is working for every section of the society. This is why I have decided to leave the ‘Thugbandhan' and join the BJP,” she said.
Kora was referring to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Cong-Rashtriya Janata Dal alliance in the state.
Attacking the coalition government in Jharkhand, Kora said that the “harm the tribals have suffered today” is because of the alliance.
“Tribals are becoming homeless and they are migrating. This coalition government doesn't have any policy or vision for the tribals. Unemployed youths are forced to take to the streets. They cannot benefit Jharkhand,” she claimed.
Meanwhile, in a post on X, former chief minister Babulal Marandi said: “Impressed by the public welfare works of Honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and the policies of Bharatiya Janata Party, the hard-working MP of Chaibasa, Smt Geeta Kora ji joined the BJP today. Congratulations and welcome to the BJP family.”
Marandi also alleged that the Congress used former CM Madhu Koda for political gains, and calls itself a tribal-friendly party to derive political mileage.
"Shibu Soren, Lalu Yadav and Ahmed Patel looted the forests, water and land of the tribals... Then trapped Madhu Koda Ji who hails from the 'Ho' community. In an attempt to suppress the voice of the ‘Ho' community and in order to save themselves, corrupt leaders sidelined him (Koda).
"I request Madhu Koda Ji to make public the evidence... It is important for public to identify the real culprits of the loot," Marandi said.
Koda served as Jharkhand CM between 2006 and 2008, and later faced a jail term after being convicted of corruption in a coal scam.
He was a BJP MLA from Bihar's Jagannathpur assembly constituency before the creation of Jharkhand in 2000.
In the 2005 Jharkhand assembly elections, Koda was denied a ticket by the BJP, but contested as an independent candidate from his stronghold Jaganathpur and won.
The BJP-AJSU alliance had won 12 out of the 14 parliamentary seats in Jharkhand in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
