Only a regional party can do justice to Chhattisgarh, says former CM Ajit Jogi

Former chief minister and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) founder Ajit Jogi says that people are fed up after 15 years of BJP rule and they want a change.

Former chief minister and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) founder Ajit Jogi is seen as a potential kingmaker ahead of the assembly polls due this year in the state. He spoke to Aurangzeb Naqshbandi about the elections, the JCC, and whether his party would harm the prospects of the Congress, which he quit in 2016. Edited excerpts:

Former chief minister and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) founder Ajit Jogi is seen as a potential kingmaker ahead of the assembly polls due this year in the state.(HT File PHOTO)

What prompted you to form your party?

I have no complaints against the Congress. I was not feeling sidelined or suffocated. I was not dissatisfied either. But I still left it because I felt that this is the last phase of my life and I must devote that to Chhattisgarh. That is why I have formed a regional party, which is different from a national party. Both the Congress and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) are national parties and their decisions are taken in Delhi. My decisions are being taken in Raipur and I do not have to ask anybody. I felt that only a regional party can do justice to Chhattisgarh.

Why do regional parties such as yours emerge from the Congress from time to time?

The regional satraps are not encouraged by the party. There is perhaps a fear factor that they will grow too big. That is why in every state, we see top leaders being ignored and the second rung leadership propped up. That is why there is a lack of leadership and dissatisfaction. This is perhaps the reason why regional parties have sprung up from the Congress.

Have you shut your doors to the Congress?

Our aims are different and we cannot merge.

Will you join hands post elections?

I am hopeful of forming a government on my own and there will be no need to have an alliance with anybody.

What ails the Congress in Chhattisgarh?

They do not have a face and a leader. They have been in Opposition for 15 years and should have taken the issues to their logical end. They have not agitated or acted as an effective opposition. That is why the Congress is weak.

Will your party divide the anti-BJP votes and help chief minister Raman Singh win another term?

There is strong anti-incumbency against the BJP. People are fed up after 15 years and they want a change. The BJP has no chance... I am contesting against him (Raman Singh) from Rajnandgaon. If I was to help the BJP, I would not be contesting against him. Raman Singh had filed serious cases against me and my son. A murder case was registered against me. But the judiciary came to my rescue. A case of robbery was also filed. I had gone to a temple and they alleged I had committed robbery and snatched a garland of gold, R10,000 and a camera. That also did not stand the judicial scrutiny. So, if I was helping Raman Singh, he would not file such cases against me.

I will not cut into anti-BJP votes. I will take away BJP votes. …my main opponent is the BJP because it is in government and they have a lot of money.

What are your key election issues?

There is rampant corruption. Unemployment has peaked… There are about two million unemployed youth in Chhattisgarh. Farmers are not getting the MSP (minimum support price) to their satisfaction. They have huge debts and are committing suicides. Women’s safety is another issue. But the major problem relates to Maoism. The southern part of our state is affected and there is no solution in sight. Raman Singh does not know how to deal with Maoism. Bullet for a bullet is no solution. There should be socio-economic development and some positive initiatives.

Is Prime Minister Narendra Modi a factor and will his campaign help the BJP in defeating the anti-incumbency?

Modi is not a factor in Chhattisgarh. Our tribals are not aware of ‘Modi magic’ and that is why it would not work here. And in the recent times, the Modi factor has come down substantially and faded nationally.