The National People’s Party will campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Chhattisgarh, its executive president and former Union Minister Arvind Netam said here on Wednesday.
Netam, who met Chief Minister Raman Singh and held an hour-long discussion, said although his party has not fielded any candidate in the State for the lok Sabha election, it has instructed all party office-bearers and workers to campaign for the BJP. He said at the national level, the NPP is with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Netam is a five-time member of the lok Sabha from Kanker constituency. He has vast public contact in the region. Despite local opposition, the BJP has fielded former minister Vikram Usendi, replacing four-term lok Sabha member Sohan Potai.
However, things do not seem easy. Even in the last assembly election, the BJP candidates were defeated in all the Assembly segments except in Antagarh. Sources said the Chief Minister held discussions with Netam to launch campaign in Kanker and other constituencies. Apart from Kanker, the NPP has good presence in Mahasamund too.
During the last Assembly election, the NPP candidate had secured nearly 9,000 votes in Khallari Assembly seat. This helped the Congress to win the seat. Sources said Netam may campaign for the BJP in Mahasamund. BJP sources said NPP campaign will benefit the BJP in both Kanker and Mahasamund seats.