Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ajit Jogi on Thursday said that he had no choice but to quit the Congress to make Chhattisgarh “Raman Singh Mukt” (Raman Singh free).
Addressing reporters at his residence in Raipur, Mr.Jogi said, “Chhattisgarh Congress is acting like the B team of the Raman Singh government. There is no hope from this Congress. Raman Singh will get elected forth time easily. So a big step has to be taken and there is only one solution. I will have to take the lead in it. People of Chhattisgarh know that this Congress won’t be able to fight Raman Singh and the BJP and they are forcing me to form a new party and defeat Raman Singh.”
“Before taking any big decision, I go to the people of Marwahi (his constituency)and take their permission. I am going to Marwahi on June 6 and I have also invited many people from across Chhattisgarh to come there. On June 6, we will sit and decide as to what will be the symbol, flag and name (of the new party),” added the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh.
Speculations that Mr. Jogi will form a new outfit were rife in the state since January this year when his son and Marwahi MLA Amit Jogi was expelled by the state unit of Congress for allegedly fixing a by-election in 2014.
Mr. Jogi was also served a notice by the Congress when some of his and his son’s purported conversations to fix a by-election were “leaked” to the media.
The announcement of the formation of a new outfit has come at a time when Mr.Jogi has been completely sidelined by the state unit of Congress led by Patan MLA Bhupesh Baghel and the leader of opposition in the state assembly Mr.T.S.Singh Deo.
“I had an emotional attachment to this ideology (Congress’s ideology) and its (Congress) leadership, especially with Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I still share a special bond with the leadership. But now I have taken their permission and told them that I want to be independent of this bond and my first responsibility is to make Chhattisgarh free of Raman Singh,” he added.
“This Congress has no existence. Both our leaders are under pressure from Raman Singh. They cannot attack him, only people like me and Amit can do so who have no fear of losing anything. This congress has no ability to defeat the BJP. Mr.Singh Deo and Mr.Baghel have a sword on their neck. They cannot fight. Without me, they cannot even get ten MLAs elected. None of them have the capacity to win from their own seats on their own. How can they take on the BJP?"
When asked if he has sent his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he said, "No. Neither have I sent my resignation nor have I made any announcement. I have only stated publicly that on June 6 I have invited my close people to Marwahi. I will sit with them and decide what should be the (new) party’s name and when should it be launched."
When asked if his son and wife Renu Jogi, who is also an MLA, were also with him, the wheelchair-bound leader said that they were independent to take their decision.
“But my loved ones are with me,” he claimed.
“Everyone wants my father to form a new party. On June 6, there will be a discussion on it in Kotami ( a town in Marwahi) and then a foundation of a new change in Chhattisgarh will be laid. We don’t want to be a kingmaker by founding a new party but we want to make the people of Chhattisgarh the king,” said Mr. Amit Jogi said in a press statement.
Reacting to Mr.Jogi’s hits at quitting the Congress, Mr.Baghel said, "The party does not belong to any individual. Only an arrogant person can say whatever he (Jogi) is saying. This will benefit the Congress.”
Preparations for a big public meeting are on in Kotami town. Mr.Jogi’s daughter in law Richa Jogi has been camping in Gaorella town near Marwahi reportedly to oversee the preparations.
