BABU LAL MARANDI - the first chief minister of Jharkhand and Union minister of state for forest and environment - had to resign and make way for Arjun Munda for the post of CM in 2002 following pressure exerted by some of the ministers. In the 2003 Loh Sabha elections, he contested from Koderma as a BJP candidate. His differences with the state leadership continued to increase and he even started criticising the state government in public. Eventually, he resigned from both Koderma LS seat and the primary membership of the BJP in 2006 and floated a new political outfit named Jharkhand Vikas Morcha. In the by-elections for the Koderma seat, he contested as an independent candidate and emerged victorious. He spoke to Sahara Time correspondent Vinod K Shukla on many issues, including going back to the BJP fold. Excerpts: Q. What do you have to say about the prevailing situation in Jharkahand? A. The situation in Jharkhand is similar to the situation in the country: central politics - of the Congress and the BJP - is responsible for the prevailing situation in the state. The difference in Jharkhand is that the reins of power are in the hands of relatively new players who have become pawns of big politicians. Whatever has happened in the state reflects in the system and administration. What I see is that the perception changes from person to person. If a poor person drinks, he is termed a drunkard but if a rich person does the same it becomes part of the lifestyle. The same is the case in other aspects of life and administration. Q. Whom do you find responsible for such a situation of the state? A. Central leaders are solely responsible for such a mess in the state. Had not they compromised with the corrupt people, the situation in the state would not have been so awful. The BJP formed the government with the help of corrupt people in 2003 and the Congress did the same in 2006. On the issue of development they say that looting is being done: but who is doing all that? It is the same people who are looting and minting money. The Congress claims that its leaders have made lots of sacrifices for the country but have they done it to recover with interest. Moreover they have forgotten everything in the case of formation of Madu Koda government in the state. They compromised and cheated people without any limit. Independents had no commitment to the people and they truly worked on the agenda of making as much money as possible. But what had happened to parties like the BJP and the Congress? Q. How can the problem of Naxalism be tackled? A. It will be easier to solve the problem of Naxalism if the issue is understood first. This is a political problem. We want to get power through elections and democratic procedure but Naxals want to reach pinnacle of governance by means of violence. There is a need to destroy the resources of the Naxals. Poverty is a problem and Naxals select such places to make their stronghold over there, but not to help the poor. This is their roadmap. So we need to accelerate the pace of development in such areas and we must punish the people who take the law in their hands. They must also be provided with legal aid. Once these things are taken care of, they need to be dealt with strong willpower, which is missing in Jharkhand. Q. Jharkhand is the richest state in the world in terms of mineral deposits. Even then it is so backward. Why? A. Anywhere in the country, development needs strong willpower to execute projects. Meticulous planning is required. But it is unfortunate that whatever government took over the reigns in the state has concentrated more on the development of individuals. The individual development is such that people have invested their money in the foreign countries. These are the reasons why the state has been lagging behind in terms of development despite being the richest in the world in terms of mineral deposit. Q. There is no thermal power unit despite the state being the largest producer of coal. Why? A. There are a few thermal power units in the state. I would say that if the leaderships is really concerned about the development of the state only then it would take place. On the contrary, nobody is bothered about the/ development of the state. Q. You had been the chief minister of the state; do you feel that creation of Jharkhand has made any difference in terms of development? A. Certainly creation of Jharkhand has made a difference. The development in the state was started by me, but unfortunately except during my 28-month-long tenure, it has been a reverse development in the state. This is not my view, this is what people of the state say. People in the government have destroyed the plinth of development. There is development in Bihar but not in Jharkhand. This is the people's voice, not mine. Q. You were the first BJP chief minister of the state. What led to the parting of ways? A. When I was chief minister of the state, certain ministers in the state cabinet wanted to do things their own way, for which I was not ready as being the chief minister of the state my responsibility and accountability was for the state. I did not allow them to indulge in corrupt practices so they started working on a one-point agenda to remove me. I am for the people and for the state; I was not ready for any compromise. Some of the senior leaders had also told me to be more accommodating but I out rightly refused to succumb to any pressure. Had I agreed to one thing, I would have had to compromise on many more and later on every issue. After I relinquished the post, ministers have misused the state helicopter in such a way that a case is still pending in the high court. They are misusing the hard earned money of the people for lavish spending. Q. Is there any possibility that you may go back to the BJP? A. There is no point going back to the BJP. We are going to contest all the 14 parliamentary seats and 81 assembly constituencies in the state. Q. What about forging an alliance with the BJP? A. What alliance? We are not discussing any alliance with the BJP. It is not going to happen. Q. News is doing the rounds that you will be given three parliamentary seats and the BJP will contest 11 ? A. When there is no alliance, from where will the matter of three seats and 11 seats come? We are going it alone in the forthcoming elections. Q. Will you merge with the BJP in the future? A. No. There is no question of my going with the BJP. I have had enough with them. I am happy where I am. Q. Are you talking to the Congress for alliance? A. No way. I am not going to have alliance with anyone. We are working on the principal of Ekla chalo (walk alone). Let people decide my fate. Why should anyone else decide anything for me, even if it is the matter of Jharkhand CM'spost?