Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi’s son Amit Jogi on Tuesday participated in Odisha’s ruling BJD-sponsored agitation in Malkangiri district against the Polavaram project of Andhra Pradesh.
Amit, an MlA, along with other leaders of the Chhattisgarh Janata Congress (Jogi) (CJCJ) formed by his father undertook a bus journey from Jagdalpur in Bastar of Chhattisgarh to Malkangiri and joined the BJD rally near the Malkangiri Collector’s office. The BJD protest was led by Housing and Urban Development Minister Pushpendra Singh Deo and Malkangiri MlA Manas Madkami. The Chhattisgarh Janata Congress first joined hands with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and later with the BJD for a unified regional force to put pressure on the Central and AP Governments to stop construction of the Polavaram project.
Addressing the rally, Amit Jogi said that whether in Bastar or in Odisha he would not let an inch of land sink under the Polavaram project.
He also targeted the BJP, the Congress and the Andhra Pradesh Government for the project, saying they are anti-tribal. “The two national parties are not in a position to oppose the directives of their bosses sitting in New Delhi even if this is affecting the lives of the people of their own region,” alleged Amit.
The joining of Amit Jogi with the BJD against Polavaram assumed significance as his party and father are strongly opposed to the BJD’s stand on the construction of barrages on the Mahanadi upstream by the Government of his State.