jharkhand's jana Sangh old boys to meet Advani

Jharkhand’s Jana Sangh old boys to meet Advani
Thursday, 20 October 2011 00:59
VIJAY DEO JHA RANCHI

BJP veteran LK Advani and old-timers of the Jana Sangh in Jharkhand will share some nostalgic moments on October 21, when the former will felicitate them as part of his Jan Chetna Yatra.
A special status invitation has been sent to them and a gallery prepared at the venue of the rally, Mohrabadi Ground, only for them.
Gumla district and the adjoining areas, which remain a Jana Sangh stronghold, are expected to cart the maximum number of Jana Sangh ‘old boys’. For instance, 95-year-old Ganpatlal Sahu of Gumla, former associate of BJP patriarch Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is expected to arrive. During 1967, Vajpayee, Vijayraje Scindia and others used to stay at his residence during party programmes.
Haricharan Goyal (85) and Mohan Oraon (80) are two such faces who were associated with Advani during the Jana Sangh days.
For Oraon, it will be an occasion to refresh his association with Advani from the time he had campaigned for Oraon, who was contesting as a Jana Sangh candidate from Gumla. Including Girija Prasad Sharma and Sukra Oraon, Gumla has a fairly long list of old Advani associates. Channu Ram Rajak (85) has now lost both his legs as a result of an accident and doesn’t see too well.
But he was an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and closely associated with some senior leaders of the Jana Sangh.
The list from Palamu includes Shyamnarayan Dubey, a well-known name in the team of Vajpayee and Advani during their south Bihar visit.
Dubey, along with Ramjilal Singhaniya (70) and Ramvilas Ram of Chhatarpur, was among the dedicated workers who took part in the JP movement. “The date of the rally coincides with foundation of Jana Sangh. All of them have contributed to formation and development of the Jana Sangh and the BJP as a credible political alternative,” said State party secretary Anant Ojha.
“Around five of them will be directly felicitated by Advaniji for their contribution. But he (Advani) will meet of all of them after the rally,” Ojha added. Party district units are searching for such old and forgotten faces, checking fact files and archives, to bring them to Ranchi.
Om Prakash Goyal, member of State BJP Working Committee said, “Most of them are in their 70s and even beyond…they are no more in active politics. We are trying to reach to them. Resourceless they were, but they had the resource to public support and commitment to a cause which drove him to work for the Jana Sangh. Honouring them is a small gesture for their big contribution.”
According to a rough estimate, 500 people associated with Jana Sangh from all over Jharkhand will be felicitated. “But the number could be much lower,” said a party leader.
“Not more than five to 10 old-timers are expected to attend from each district. Most of them are old, frail and ill. Some of them have expressed their inability,” he added.
The party has decided to put young party workers on duty to ferry them from their districts to Ranchi comfortably. “They are special to us and we have made special arrangements fore their visit,” said State BJP president Dineshananda Goswami