Jharkhand opposition to raise RS poll rigging in assembly

Ranchi, July 18 (IANS) The opposition in Jharkhand is preparing to corner the state government in the assembly session starting on Friday on the alleged sexual misconduct of the son of the state BJP president and the "rigging" of the Rajya Sabha polls.

"The real face of BJP as a party and the BJP government led by Raghubar Das stands exposed. Both issues will be raised during Monsoon session," Kishore Sahdeo, the spokesman of the Jharkhand unit of the Congress, told IANS.

He said Chief Minister Raghubar Das has shown no interest in giving justice to tribal girl who was sexually exploited by Munna Marandi, the son of Jharkhand BJP president Tala Marandi.

Munna has also been accused of marrying a minor girl.

"No medical board has been set up to ascertain the age of the bride whose school records show she is a minor," said Sahdeo.

Leader of the Opposition Hemant Soren, who belongs to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), said the government used unfair means to win the two seats in the June 11 Rajya Sabha elections.

The government has failed on every issue and there is plenty that the opposition has to corner it, he said.

Pradeep Yadav of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Pratantrik (JVM-P) said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is using its majority to act like a dictatorship.

State Congress president Sukhdeo Bhagat said a "Ravan-Raj" has been prevalent in Jharkhand as is evident in the acts of the ruling BJP.

On Friday, JVM-P President Babulal Marandi made public certain audio and video recordings that purportedly show Raghubar Das, an ADG rank police officer, and a close aide of the chief minister interacting with Congress leader Yogendra Sao who is also husband of Congress MLA Nirmala Devi.

The recordings purportedly show the police officer suggesting to Sao the political favours he and his wife will enjoy if they helped the BJP candidate win in the Rajya Sabha elections.

A video clip also showed Raghubar Das meeting Yogendra Sao a day before the Rajya Sabha poll, claimed Babulal Marandi.

State BJP president Tala Marandi is also facing many questions not only from the opposition but also some of his own party men.

Some of the BJP members demanded his resignation after two First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against him and his son Munna Marandi who is alleged to have sexually exploited a girl and married another who is said to be a minor.

A medical examination of the girl alleging sexual exploitation suggested she had been sexually active with possibly more than one partner.

The age of the girl Munna Marandi married is yet to ascertained through a medical test.