Congress in Chhattisgarh which is plagued by intra party-rivalry for years, delivered a key punch on party heavyweight but controversy-loving leader Ajit Jogi on Wednesday and expelled his son Amit Jogi for six years.
The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) which took the decision ‘unanimously’ in a bid to clean-up the mess within the party, had recommended AICC to expel the former Chief Minister Jogi too, as the father-son duo had allegedly played with the interests of Congress party by fixing an assembly by-poll in 2014 in favour of the BJP.
PCC chief Bhupesh Baghel told newspersons at a crowded press conference that expulsion of Marwahi legislator would ‘strengthen Congress and democracy’ in the State which has nearly 30 per cent tribal population.
The PCC which met at State Congress headquarters, Gandhi Bhawan, found an audio tape genuine in which Ajit Jogi and his son were heard talking to Puneet Gupta (son-in-law of Chief Minister Raman Singh) in the run up to the Antagarh seat by-poll to make Congress official candidate Manuram Pawar withdraw from the contest after “arrangements for paying at least seven if not 10” (crore rupees).
Congress candidate Pawar who was a die-hard supporter of Ajit Jogi, had embarrassed the party as he pulled out from fray at the eleventh hour and the BJP candidate was left unchallenged.
Pawar’s shocking decision had stunned the Congress and even political analysts had then feared a foul play.
Wheelchair-bound Ajit Jogi, who claims the lone tribal face of Congress in Chhattisgarh, did not offer any immediate reaction as he was rushed to a private hospital for unknown disease just hours before the formal decision for expulsion was set to be announced.
The 39-year-old Amit tried to posture himself brave before media at his residence, Sagon bungalow, and stated that he was ‘denied natural justice and would approach Congress high-command’.
“I will not bow down before such a feudal decision of PCC, the audio tape is doctored. I am the victim of a deep conspiracy but my expulsion is surely a defeat of poor, downtrodden, Dalit and tribal people,’’ Amit Jogi remarked, who was looking visibly shaken.
He termed his expulsion “an immature decision without being verified by the PCC’’.
Political analysts say that PCC’s decision against Jogi family would further escalate rivalry in the state where Congress is out of power since December 2003.
Reports coming in from several districts that just a few dozen Congress workers mainly in Jogi family’s stronghold Bilaspur division tendered resignations in protest against the PCC decision, while only two out of party’s 39 legislators voiced concern.
BJP, which is largely enjoying rising feud within Congress, described Amit Jogi’s expulsion ‘an internal issue’ of Congress, though the party is directly linked to the audio tape issue.