Political temperature has soared in Chhattisgarh a day before the counting of votes for the 90-member state legislative assembly which will decide the fate of political stalwarts across the parties including Raman Singh, BJP’s longest serving chief minister.
The BJP which is in power in the mineral-rich state since December 2003, is facing a challenging task to extent its regime for another five-year tenure amid rising anti-incumbency mainly among farmers and youths.
Chief Minister Raman Singh claimed hours before counting that his government would register fourth successive victory on Tuesday despite majority of exit polls predicted Congress comeback with comfortable majority.
“I don’t trust exit polls, the exit polls outcomes are too divided,’’ the 66-year-old Singh, who launched his political career in 1983 as a councillor in his home town Kawardha, told reporters in state capital Raipur.
“I am pretty sure about the BJP’s fourth innings, no one should be in doubt, there is no vacancy for Congress in Chhattisgarh,’’ Singh remarked quoting his lengthy recent meetings with presidents of the BJP in all 27 districts besides all 90 party candidates.
He strongly rejected reports that the BJP might fall short of the simple majority mark of 46 seats and the saffron party needed support of the Congress baiter and former chief minister Ajit Jogi. The wheelchair-bound Jogi has aligned with the BSP and the CPI in a bid to win a few seats to use it as a bargaining chip if the results throw up a hung assembly.
Political pundits in the state have written off the BJP after the two-phased polling ended on Nov 20. There is a consensus among intellectuals and analysts in the state that farmers have voted in bulk in favour of Congress in response to its promise to waive off farm loan within 10 days of coming to power.
Meanwhile mood in Congress camp is upbeat and the Pradesh Congress Committee chief Bhupesh Baghel claimed on Monday Rs countdown for the corrupt BJP regime has begun’.
“The BJP regime is all set to end, the official confirmation will be just a formality on Tuesday, no power can save BJP in Chhattisgarh, the saffron regime is on its way out,’’ Baghel told The Pioneer. He refused to make a statement about who would be the chief minister if Congress forms the next government.
Congress general secretary and party incharge for Chhattisgarh PL Punia is camping in Raipur and has been in constant touch with party candidates to keep the house in order amid reports of alleged attempts of poaching by the BJP in case of hung assembly.