Rahul to kick start Chhattisgarh poll campaign today, Jogi to rally nearby
chief minister and now president of breakaway Janata Congress, Ajit Jogi will organise a rally on Thursday a few kilometers away from the venue where Congress president Rahul Gandhi will launch his party’s campaign for the Chhattisgarh assembly elections, scheduled for some time later this year.
Ajit had forced the Congress to change the venue of Gandhi’s rally from Pendra, by pre-booking all the three big grounds, to a few kilometers away in Kotmi.
Both Pendra and Kotmi fall in Marwahi assembly constituency, from where Ajit’s son Amit Jogi is the sitting MLA. By launching its campaign from Marwahi, the Congress wants to challenge the father-son duo and also energise its cadres against the two.
Ajit was Congress chief minister of Chhattisgarh from 2000 to 2003 before the party was ousted by the BJP under Raman Singh, who has since been ruling the state. In 2016, Ajit quit Congress and formed his own party after his son was expelled on charges of “anti-party activities” for a period of six years.
“Selecting Marwahi is part of our well planned strategy as our focus in this election will be on tribal rights,” said Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, Chhattisgarh Congress spokesperson. He alleged that Amit was helping the Raman Singh government by forcing tribals to give their land for a rail line project in his constituency.
Amit, however, alleged that Marwahi was chosen for Gandhi’s rally out of personal grudge and to spite his father. He said they have accepted the challenge.
“At the time he (Gandhi) will be in Kotmi, we will hold a public rally in Pendra. We may not be as grand as Congress but the camp at the 1,40,000 square feet venue will be full with people. That’s almost 10 times bigger compared to the venue where Gandi will be holding his meeting,” Amit said.
The Congress is, however, downplaying Jogi camp’s parallel rally, with the spokesperson saying they have called upon representatives of tribal organisations to join hands with the party at the Kotmi rally to expose the BJP government in the state.
Amit countered by saying that if Gandhi was so concerned about the tribals, why didn’t he go to Jashpur, where locals have declared their villages as independent republics, known as Pathalgarhi movement, or to Ghatbarra where, in return for lucrative transportation contracts, his party leader allegedly let the BJP government illegally abrogate 900 forest right pattas.
Gandhi is scheduled to arrive in Chhattisgarh on Thursday for a two-day visit, and is set to address a convention of local bodies and attend rallies of tribals and farmers. On Friday, he will meet booth level party workers and hold a road show from Durg to Raipur’s Mana airport, covering a distance of about 50km.
The BJP claimed the rally has caused bitterness in the Congress camp. “The Chhattisgarh Congress is divided over the decision as a section believes holding the rally in Marwahi will be a political blunder,” said BJP spokesperson Sacchinanad Upasane, while refuting the Congress’ claim of violation of tribal rights.
RAIPUR:Former