The incidents of Maoist violence and the increased seizure of improvised explosive devices by the security forces during the election campaign in Chhattisgarh are not indicative of any growth in the strength of the banned outfit, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said.
He said the BJP government would beat anti-incumbency again and win a fourth term in the State.
“Maoists are under tremendous pressure and they are unable to get new recruits. They are increasingly resorting to explosive devices to compensate for their inability to find recruits. Many of them have surrendered in recent months,” he told The Hindu while campaigning in the State.
The BJP is seeking a fourth term in the State under Chief Minister Raman Singh, who came to power in 2003.
Mr. Singh addressed rallies in Saraipali, Sarangarh, Pratappur and Kota on Thursday.
Over 1,200 arrested
According to the Home Ministry’s countrywide figures, 131 Maoists were killed, 1,278 apprehended in police operations, while 58 surrendered so far in 2018. In Chhattisgarh, Maoist violence dipped overall in 2018, but it recorded a spike since the election was announced.
“From 90 districts earlier, now there are only 10 or 12 districts that are under the threat of Maoists across the country,” Mr. Singh said, adding that the outfit would be rendered ineffective in the “next two to three years.”
‘No anti-incumbency’
Asked how the double-incumbency — of the three-term government in the State and the Modi government at the Centre — was impacting the BJP’s prospects, Mr. Singh, also a former BJP president, said: “Anti-incumbency did not work in the last two elections. And it will not work for a third time also.”
Mr. Singh said the election was being fought on local issues, and Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s speeches on the Rafale fighter jet controversy and attacks on the Modi government had no impact. “Nobody here cares. The election is being fought on the record of the Raman Singh government,” the Minister said.
Women’s safety
Mr. Singh, who heads a Group of Ministers (GoM) mandated to examine the legal provisions for the safety of women, said its first meeting would take place “in a few days.”
“We were planning a meeting this week, but owing to the demise of Ananth Kumarji, we postponed it. We are planning to meet soon,” he said.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi are the other members of the GoM.
