After Babulal Marandi was declared Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly on Thursday, former CM Raghubar Das is likely to take charge as President of the state unit of the BJP in Jharkhand. 

The elevation of Marandi, who merged his JVM in the BJP on February 17, happened after a formal meeting of party MLAs ahead of the month-long budget session that started from Friday last. 

The central leadership of the BJP is learnt to have concluded the process for the appointment of leader of Opposition besides state and district presidents as part of organisational restructuring.  

BJP national general secretary Arun Kumar Singh had arrived in Ranchi on Sunday night and Murlidhar Rao, who was appointed as observer for the selection of leader of Opposition, arrived in Ranchi on Monday morning. 

After the entry of Marandi in the party, the central leadership of the BJP is focusing on appointment of a state president for which a couple of names are under consideration. 

Former chief minister Raghubar Das is on top of the list. However, a group of BJP leaders say, Das’s selection is ‘uncertain’ as others in the fray are former MP Ravindra Rai, Rajmahal MLA Anant Ojha and party general secretary Deepak Prakash.