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`Rahul, Priyanka to enter politics soon`: The Pioneer
Raipur, July 21: Talking informally to reporters over dinner on Saturday night here, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her brother Rahul Gandhi would enter the political fray `before the next Lok Sabha elections.` Asked why the two are not entering politics before the crucial Assembly elections that have been billed as the semi-finals by both BJP and the Congress, the senior Congress leader said they will take the `right decision at the right time.`
Raipur, July 21: Talking informally to reporters over dinner on Saturday night here, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her brother Rahul Gandhi would enter the political fray "before the next Lok Sabha elections." Asked why the two are not entering politics before the crucial Assembly elections that have been billed as the semi-finals by both BJP and the Congress, the senior Congress leader said they will take the "right decision at the right time."
Elaborating on what could be the main issue in the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls, Mr Jogi said: "I am the issue. In Bihar, it is Laloo Yadav versus others. In Gujarat, it is Narendra Modi versus others. Similarly, here it will be Ajit Jogi versus others." Mr Jogi said his scheduled caste background would prove to be his trump card in the polls because majority of the State's population belongs to the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward castes.
Claiming that his Government has given a major boost to the economic development of this resource-rich State, Mr Jogi said under his administration Chhattisgarh has attracted investments worth Rs 60,000 crore after it was created in November 2001. Electricity consumption has increased from 900 MW to 1,500 MW in the State. He added: "Chhattisgarh was clubbed with other BIMARU States by the Planning Commission. But now it has come out of that bracket." Mr Jogi claimed that he has given a major boost to the development in the State. For example, the State has attracted investment worth Rs 60,000 crore after its creation, he said. The consumption of electricity has increased from 900 MW to 1,500 MW. The State that was categorised along with other BIMARU States (the States which are under-developed and low on the social indices) earlier by the Planning Commission has already come out of that bracket, Mr Jogi said. Although the difference of margin between the Congress and the BJP in last Assembly elections in the Chhattisgarh area (as it was a part of Madhya Pradesh was just one per cent, Mr Jogi expressed confidence that he would get through easily in the forthcoming elections. "Social equations have changed since a lot," he said.
Moreover the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Godwana Party, which had cut into the Congress votes in the last elections, have become irrelevant, he added.
Claiming that his Government has given a major boost to the economic development of this resource-rich State, Mr Jogi said under his administration Chhattisgarh has attracted investments worth Rs 60,000 crore after it was created in November 2001. Electricity consumption has increased from 900 MW to 1,500 MW in the State. He added: "Chhattisgarh was clubbed with other BIMARU States by the Planning Commission. But now it has come out of that bracket." Mr Jogi claimed that he has given a major boost to the development in the State. For example, the State has attracted investment worth Rs 60,000 crore after its creation, he said. The consumption of electricity has increased from 900 MW to 1,500 MW. The State that was categorised along with other BIMARU States (the States which are under-developed and low on the social indices) earlier by the Planning Commission has already come out of that bracket, Mr Jogi said. Although the difference of margin between the Congress and the BJP in last Assembly elections in the Chhattisgarh area (as it was a part of Madhya Pradesh was just one per cent, Mr Jogi expressed confidence that he would get through easily in the forthcoming elections. "Social equations have changed since a lot," he said.
Moreover the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Godwana Party, which had cut into the Congress votes in the last elections, have become irrelevant, he added.