Dissident JMM legislator Simon Marandi to join BJP

Ranchi: Jharkhand DGP Rajeev Kumar will conduct a probe into the incident of attack in the house of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Simon Marandi in Pakur and assault on the legislator�s bodyguards.

This information was given to the Jharkhand Assembly members today by state Assembly Affairs minister Rajendra Prasad Singh on the second day of the monsoon session. He was responding to a question raised by Marandi on his security.

The minister said the DGP will submit a report to the government which would give a reply on the issue on 5th August.

Earlier, Marandi said his house was attacked by a mob in the presence of police on 23rd July in broad daylight. He said his bodyguards were beaten up and their arms were looted by the assailants.

He alleged that the incident was the handiwork of the state government. He said the assailants had issued threats to him over phone after the incident.

He said he was disappointed with the way the government was running in the state. He further said that he was going to leave the JMM which had termed him as �garbage� in an aside to a comment made a few days back by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

In an important development, Marandi announced that he was going to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. He said he was no more able to tolerate the goings-on in the party.