CPI-ML (Liberation) national general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has called for an umbrella alliance of Opposition forces in Jharkhand to prevent the BJP from coming to power in 2024.

Bhattacharya, who had met Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Sunday along with party MLA Vinod Singh, while addressing the media in Jamshedpur on Tuesday and in Ranchi on Wednesday stressed the need for a strong Opposition through an umbrella alliance of all like-minded parties.

“We have seen how federal agencies are being misused by the BJP-led central government to disturb non-BJP state governments in the country. However, Bihar’s political developments have certainly sent a message about the need for an umbrella alliance of all like-minded parties for a strong Opposition to defeat the plans of the BJP to come to power in 2024. We are working in this direction. Similar political development is likely to happen in Jharkhand too,” said Bhattacharya, whose party is now in the ruling coalition of Bihar.

Party’s Bagodar MLA Vinod Singh who attended the meeting in Jamshedpur on Tuesday told The Telegraph: “There was a discussion with the chief minister and our party national general secretary on forging a wider alliance of all like-minded parties. With all Left parties coming into the alliance, the current alliance would stand to gain at least five-six seats more than the present.”

Bhattacharya also stressed the formulation of a common minimum programme well in advance among the alliance partners.

“The need of the hour is for all Opposition parties to formulate a common minimum programme with a focus on mining, industry, education, health and agriculture for the larger interest of the country and defeat the fascist regime of the BJP. We are seeing how the BJP is trying to divert people’s attention from burning issues like unemployment, inflation, poverty and inciting communal hatred to come to power in 2024,” he said. The Left parties are not part of the present Jharkhand government but have supported it on issues against the BJP on several occasions.

CPIML lone MLA Vinod Singh voted for the government during the trust vote held earlier this month during the day-long special Assembly session.

Bhattacharya also questioned the silence of governor Ramesh Bais on the issue of the Election Commission opinion sent to him last month on the disqualification of the chief minister on the office of profit allegation.“The governor should clarify the opinion sent by the Election Commission. Silence on the issue is creating political instability, smacking of biasedness on part of the governor and the BJP is using this situation to disturb the government. What is the reason for the governor to remain silent?” questioned the CPI-ML national leader.