Jogi said his supporters are pressurising him to get rid of the Raman Singh government and “unless I lead, that is not possible”.
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Jogi’s rebellion from Congress came nearly six months after the party expelled his son Amit Jogi over alleged fixing of a 2014 Antagarh assembly bypoll to ensure ruling BJP’s win in Chattisgarh.
IN A major turn of events in Chhattisgarh polity, former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi and senior Congress leader has said that he is disillusioned with the present circumstances in the Congress party and the Congress is no more the same as it used to be during the time from Nehru to Sonia Gandhi.
He added: “The Congress has been working like a B-team of the corrupt Raman Singh government”.
“Only people like me and Amit Jogi, who don’t fear anything, can fight them”, he said.
Jogi’s announcement puts the spotlight on growing dissidence within the state units of the Congress. The two leaders said that Jogi going separate ways would only benefit the Congress.
According to Baghel, not a single Congress MLA would go with Ajit Jogi; however, they would keep an eye on June 6gathering at Marwahi. The statement also suggested a significance in the timing, following reports of the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as Congress president, and that the BJP was acting through Jogi to counter this.
He said, “This (Congress) is not the same party which once adhered to ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru”.
Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said Jogi has been a “respected” party leader.
Ajit Jogi attacked the Congress at a press conference in Raipur. “It is beneficial for Congress if such persons leave the party, who are engaged in trading the declared candidate of Congress for some crores of rupees”, Singh said.
Jogi while talking to a group of media persons at his residence remarked, “The State-level Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh are not capable of retaining even their own seats in the next Assembly polls”. “If he had any grievance, certainly the high command would have heard him”.
“Jogi has not given resignation from the party therefore he is a party member as of now”.
Baghel said Jogi’s exit would “benefit the Congress”. This Congress has no ability to defeat the BJP.
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Senior BJP leader Sachidananda Upasne said, “The confidence this government has generated is vast, none of these developments take away from that”. However Singhdeo said that though the decision is personal in a way but party has given a lot to Jogi by way of position in the party and government. He was made a CWC member and Chief Minister.
