Zee Media Bureau
Bastar: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has admitted that the unceremonious exit of senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha polls is a huge loss for the party but also expressed confidence that the young brigade will make up for that loss.
Speaking to a private TV channel, Sigh said, “Jaswant`s leaving the party is definitely a loss for us but the next generation will make up for it."
The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister made these remarks campaigning in Bastar for BJP candidate and sitting MP Dinesh Kashyap.
When questioned about the controversy involving party patriarch LK Advani, Raman Singh said that there was some confusion over the former`s choice of seat to contest the Lok Sabha polls but the issue is now settled.
"Now Advaniji has filed his nomination from Gandhinagar and the work has formally begun for him. There were no ideological differences; it was all media hype. All senior party leaders are now working towards BJP victory and I hope that we`ll beat the estimates," Singh was quoted as saying.
The Chhattisgarh leader, however, admitted that there were some flaws in ticket distribution and seat allocation.
When asked if he had prime ministerial ambitions, Singh politely said that everyone wants him to continue working for Chhattisgarh.
Raman Singh`s son Abhishek Singh is making his electoral debut in this election from Rajnandgaon seat. The BJP`s decision to field the 37-year-old Abhishek instead of sitting MP Madhusudan Yadav was mired in controversy and Singh`s rivals claimed that it was an attempt by the Chief Minister to give his son a safe seat.
Raman Singh, however, rejected all criticism saying, "It was Yadav who said he fought from Rajnandgaon last time and we should field Abhishek from there. He also said that all of us should work together to ensure Abhishek`s victory."
Naxal-affected Bastar goes to poll on April 10 and hectic campaigning is on in the constituency.
Apart from Abhishek Singh, Aam Aadmi Party leader Prashant Bhushan is also campaigning for his party`s candidate and activist Soni Sori.
