Congress suffers setback as lone Jharkhand MP Geeta Kora joins BJP

In a significant setback for the Congress, Geeta Kora, the party's sole Member of Parliament (MP) from Jharkhand, has quit and joined the BJP.

Geeta Kora, the wife of former Chief Minister Madhu Kora, made the surprising move on Monday, dealing a blow to the Congress-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) ruling alliance. Her departure leaves the alliance with only one MP, Vijay Hansdak, as the BJP had secured 12 out of 14 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Madhu Kora, who faced allegations of irregularities in the coal block allocation case of 2017 and was convicted in a disproportionate assets case, has also joined the BJP.

Insiders suggest that Geeta's inclusion in the BJP will enhance the party's prospects in the Kolhan division, covering East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, and Saraikela-Kharsawan districts, where the BJP failed to win any seats in the 2019 Assembly elections.

State BJP chief Babulal Marandi welcomed the Koras into the party, hinting at the Congress's mistreatment of Madhu Kora after he served as the Chief Minister. Madhu Kora, who became the Chief Minister of Jharkhand in 2006 with Congress support, later faced a political setback when the JMM withdrew its support in 2008, leading to the fall of his government.

Congress leaders expressed shock at Geeta Kora's decision, stating that they had no prior knowledge of her intentions. Geeta, who entered politics in 2009 and won the Assembly elections that year as a candidate of the Jai Bharat Samanta Party, merged into the Congress in 2018. An active parliamentarian, Geeta Kora has been a member of various committees and has raised issues concerning Adivasis in India.

The development is seen as a strategic gain for the BJP in Jharkhand, and state leaders believe that Geeta's influence in the Kolhan region could prove advantageous for the party. The political landscape in the state continues to evolve.