Babulal Marandi, former state chief minister of and currently president of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha, is nowadays in ‘direct touch’ with BJP’s The Shah, ever since a Kolkata-based industrialist with large interests in the state got them introduced. So, Marandi sought time to meet That Shah, and he was duly granted an appointment. So he took a flight to Delhi, only to be told at the last moment that the boss would not be able to meet him. But The Shah had left word behind, though, that just in case, just in case Marandi considers merging his already enfeebled party in Jharkhand with the BJP, he could snooze over the dreams of a Rajya Sabha seat. In fact, BJP could, the boss suggested, let his party contest the 2019 polls under the Lotus, and if he won he could even be made a minister at the Centre, you never know. But those who know Babu Lal from up close say that he is bargaining for the Rajya Sabha and ministerial berths all at once and not wait till he romps home in 2019. You never know. And this is what has left the top BJP mandarins is a limbo for a while.