Raipur: The political climate in Chhattisgarh is heating up, even though the dates for the Assembly election remain undisclosed. BJP stalwart and previous chief minister Raman Singh, who experienced a significant setback in the 2018 Assembly elections, ending a three-term streak, is already steering his campaign vigorously forward. Aiming to highlight corruption as the focal point of his electoral campaign, Singh has cataloged a series of alleged financial malfeasances that have burgeoned to several lakhs of crores under Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s regime.
In a recent exclusive interview, Singh, affectionately referred to as ‘Doctor Sahab’ within party circles, articulated that although BJP has abstained from announcing a chief ministerial candidate in Chhattisgarh, it is conspicuous that the Congress has hesitated to re-endorse their sitting CM as the frontman for the upcoming elections. Singh asserts that Baghel’s public appearances have inadvertently boosted BJP’s popularity, as indicated by the party’s internal periodic evaluations, which have noted an upward trend in projected seat counts after each of Baghel’s public interactions.
Moreover, Singh launched a scathing critique of the Congress party, accusing them of fostering Naxalism within the state, ostensibly to secure electoral advantages. Reflecting on the tenure of BJP governance, he underscored the transformations they spearheaded, such as averting famine and mass migration and instituting a PDS system that served as a national model by offering rice at Rs 1 per kg to 58 lakh impoverished families. He contrasted this with the current government’s alleged involvement in a Rs 600 crore scam connected to the same PDS scheme and alleged misappropriation of Rs 5,000 crore from the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, a central fund allocation.
Lamenting the decline in governance standards, Singh noted that Chhattisgarh, once a trailblazer in skill development meeting 14% of the national target, is now marred by the unfolding CGPSC scandal, where government jobs are reportedly being traded for money. Despite escalating protests by the youth, Singh remarks, Baghel appears indifferent, failing to address the corruption that seems to permeate multiple levels of his administration.