RANCHI, July 31: The Rashtriya Janata Dal's new-found-love towards Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the resolution passed subsequently in the Bihar Assembly on July 22 last, recommending creation of Jharkhand State has generated a flurry of activities by political parties to win over Jharkhandis.

An alerted Bharatiya Janata Party, in an effort to consolidate its present position in Jharkhand from where most of its 43 MLAs and 18 MPs of the State had emerged victorious, has launched a ``mass contact'' drive.

Several BJP leaders including Yashwant Sinha are touring Jharkhand to activate their cadres and to drive the point to Jharkhandis that the BJP is the only party that can gain them a separate State.

The point which figured prominently in Yashwant Sinha's public speeches in Ranchi and Hazaribagh was: Jharkhand leaders have once again `sold' themselves and their demand of the tribal homeland Jharkhand is not tenable, but Vananchal is. (Jharkhand seeks to comprise 26 districts spread over four States Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh while the Vananchal consists only 18 districts of South Bihar.) ``The Lok Sabha has already enlisted a Bill, drafted and submitted by the BJP on Vananchal and the Bill is expected to come up for debate in the winter session of the Lok Sabha,'' said BJP's Vananchal Samiti Chief Babu Lal Marandi here today.The Vananchal Samiti has been asked to hold dharnas and rallies in all block and district headquarter towns in Jharkhand from August 9-14.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.