SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, Dec 25: Former Chief Minister Raghubar Das, who resigned as Odisha Governor yesterday, is expected to rejoin the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on December 27. BJP State President Babulal Marandi has confirmed the development.
According to sources, the Odisha Raj Bhawan has planned a farewell ceremony for Das tomorrow. After the event, he is likely to travel to Ranchi or Jamshedpur.
While Das has remained tight-lipped about his plans, speculation within BJP circles continues regarding the party leadership’s intentions for him. “No one knows exactly what the party leadership has in store for Raghubar Das. However, it’s evident that the BJP needs him as much as he needs the party for a political revival after the humiliating loss in the assembly elections,” said a senior BJP leader close to Das.
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Das was appointed Governor of Odisha in October 2023, a move seen by many as a way to end factionalism within the BJP’s Jharkhand unit. However, it appears Das was unwilling to let his political career conclude with a gubernatorial position. “He expressed a desire to leave the Raj Bhawan and return to active politics,” said an associate of Das.
During informal discussions with BJP leaders, Das reportedly spoke about strengthening the party’s organisation in Jharkhand. This has led to speculation that he may be in line to replace Babulal Marandi as the BJP’s state president. Marandi, in turn, is expected to take up the position of Leader of the Opposition, creating a leadership balance between non-tribal and tribal communities in Jharkhand.
Das’s political trajectory has been closely tied to Jharkhand’s shifting electoral landscape. After the BJP’s defeat in the 2019 state elections—blamed largely on tribal dissatisfaction over proposed amendments to the CNT/SPT Acts under Das’s government—he was appointed as Odisha’s Governor at the age of 68. The move was widely seen as an attempt to sideline him while giving Marandi more authority to lead the party.
Despite this strategy, Marandi’s leadership failed to reclaim power from the JMM-led coalition in the 2024 state elections. The BJP’s poor performance has since sparked a demand within the party to consolidate support among Jharkhand’s 74% non-tribal voters, as tribals—who constitute 26% of the population—largely backed the JMM-led alliance.
Political analysts suggest that Das’s return could play a crucial role in strengthening the BJP’s OBC vote bank. “A leadership change may be aimed at boosting the party’s appeal among non-tribal voters,” noted an analyst, hinting at Das’s possible central role in the BJP’s future strategies in the state.
