Several Jharkhand Congress leaders left for Delhi on Monday after Rahul Gandhi summoned all 18 party MLAs in an effort to iron out differences within the party and thrash out a development agenda for the state government of which the Congress is a part.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday. State Congress leaders said it would be the first time Rahul would meet all state party MLAs after the formation of the coalition government with the JMM and RJD in Jharkhand in 2019. “While MLAs and state party workers did meet Rahul and other central leaders after the 2019 assembly polls, these meetings were in their individual capacities," remarked a senior party worker.

Jamtara MLA Irfan Ansari (right) with AICC general secretary K V Venugopal in Delhi on Monday The Telegraph Picture

Jamtara MLA Irfan Ansari reached Delhi Monday morning. State health minister and Jamshedpur West MLA Banna Gupta left the state at noon while others were expected to take the evening and night flights out of Ranchi. State party president Rajesh Thakur said the meeting was a routine affair to discuss party affairs.

“Everyone wants to meet and discuss things with central leaders of the party. However, due to Covid-19 and after the 2019 polls, many MLAs couldn’t meet our central leaders. Therefore, after the appointment of the new Jharkhand affair’s in-charge Avinash Pande, it has now materialized. Everyone will air their views and discuss ways to improve the party’s base in the state and strengthen the coalition government,” he said.

State Congress insiders said the meeting was important to present a united face of the Jharkhand unit to the high command. Notably, after the exit of R.P. N. Singh, who despite being the party’s Delhi miner for Jharkhand joined the BJP ahead of the UP polls, many MLAs openly criticized him of trying to destablise the state government.

Barkagaon MLA Amba Prasad had even tweeted that Singh was trying to influence many MLAs of her party to join the BJP.

“In the last one year, there were certain attempts to destablise the state government and certain reports also suggested that some unhappy MLAs of the Congress were in touch with the BJP, which is always in the hunt for an opportunity to orchestrate defections.

Tuesday's meeting is to strengthen the party and present a united front,” said a senior member of the state unit.