The Nationalist Congress Party Jharkhand unit on Wednesday merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

This was announced at a joint news conference by BJP state unit president Raghubar Das and NCP state unit president Dhrub Bhagat.

Bhagat said the NCP state unit, with one member of Legislative Assembly, was 'dissolved' on March 11.

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However, NCP leader Tariq Anwar said the merger was illegal. He said the state unit had been dissolved on March 11, as the party leadership smelled that Bhagat was 'up to something'.

He said Bhagat was removed as the state unit president and was replaced by Ramesh Dixit.

NCP MLA Kamlesh Singh's name figured in the council of ministers during the swearing in of the Arjun Munda cabinet on Saturday.

Singh, who is suffering from a heart problem, is in a hospital and has not bee able to take oath in the assembly.

With additional inputs from Salil Kumar in New Delhi