Top leaders of the BJP including its newly appointed state President Babulal Marandi and CP Singh were in New Delhi. 

They are learnt to be busily apprising the BJP high command that the ruling JMM-led government was responsible for the inordinate delay in the appointment of information commissioners in the absence of a leader of the opposition.

Earlier, the BJP had mooted the name of Babulal Marandi as leader of the opposition which has not been accepted by the Speaker. 

This was mainly because Marandi was facing anti-defection charges and hence at this stage he could not be considered to be a member of the BJP due to the Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato who has preferred not to pass judgment on his anti-defection case.

In the absence of a leader of the opposition, the information commissioners were not appointed as their appointment has to be decided by a committee comprising the leader of the opposition in the Assembly as a member.

As such, in the absence of the leader of the opposition at present, the committee is not complete and no recommendation of names of prospective candidates has been done, the court was informed by the state government.

Aware of this persisting problem, Marandi has met PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. On the other hand, CP Singh has met senior BJP leaders.

Since Marandi can not be appointed leader of the opposition due to the Speaker Rabindra Kumar Mahato not being ready to pass judgment on anti-defection charges faced by him, the ruling JMM led by CM Hemant Soren enjoyed dominating the Assembly without any leader of the opposition.

Against this background, the corridor of the state BJP abuzz is with speculation that the vacant post of leader of Opposition can be filled up by BJP’s veteran leader CP Singh, Ex-Speaker of the state Assembly and ex-Minister.

If CP Singh is appointed as leader of the opposition, the state BJP is expected to gain ground. 

More so because in August 2023 Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto had completed the hearing of the case pertaining to defection charges against senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi and reserved the judgment.