Raipur, Oct 07: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi today ruled out his resignation in the wake of CBI filing a chargesheet against him in a forgery case. He accused the BJP of framing him illegally for political gains. "Why should I?" quipped Jogi when asked whether he would resign following the agency`s chargesheet against him. He asked, "Do you expect all the Congress chief ministers to resign if CBI starts chargesheeting them"?

Jogi said that the case was politically motivated. He said, “It is the first time in the history of India that a chief minister has asked the Prime Minister to look into a matter and the chief minister instead has been framed in the case.”

To a pointed query if he has been summoned by the party high command following the developments, Jogi said "no" but stated that he had discussed the matter with the leadership.

Asked if the cases against Murli Manohar Joshi and him could be compared, the Chief Minister said, "No. There is a big difference as in Joshi`s case, charges have been framed after filing of charges three-four years back, while in this case it has not even reached a stage of filing chargesheets.”
Jogi exuded confidence when he said that the party and people of the state were solidly behind him and that “we will expose BJP`s stinking action". He repeatedly said he that he had full faith in the judiciary and that he would get justice.

Stating that the move was clearly politics of revenge Jogi said, “The BJP is afraid of my ST background. They already know their fate in elections – that Congress is in majority and they are minority.”

Jogi also said the filing a chargesheet against him was illegal as permission needs to be taken from the Governor before filing charges against any chief minister. This has not been done.
The Chief Minister also added that grounds to charge him were too flimsy. He elaborated that under Section 471 it was not said that he had forged any documents but that he was aware the documents were forged.

He said there was widespread resentment over CBI action in the state and that he had received reports of the agency`s effigies being burnt.

Stating that the issue could be an electoral agenda for the Congress, he said BJP has provided a "good" issue for the coming assembly polls.

"We will definitely make it an electoral issue. This will generate sympathy and support to the party in the state", he said.
Bureau Report