The strange similarities between the two extremes of the Chhattisgarh assembly elections, Jogi and Judeo, continue to grab attention this time too.
Former chief minister Ajit Jogi was expected to campaign all over the state for party candidates. But after the defection of his closest confidante of his glory days, Pawan Diwan, Jogi has confined himself to Mahasamund, from where BJP's V.C. Shukla is pitted against him.
Diwan has joined Shukla and even announced that Jogi shouldn't be allowed to enter the constituency. Diwan going all out against his one-time friend is an important event of the season.
Dilip Singh Judeo, on the other hand, apparently cold-shouldered by the BJP leadership, is trying to figure out his role. He said two weeks ago that would campaign on a bicycle but nothing was heard of him after that.
Both Jogi and Judeo played crucial roles in the assembly elections and later both were allegedly caught giving or receiving bribe. Judeo was pardoned by the party and protected, verbally at least, soon after the cash-on-camera controversy. Jogi has also been pardoned and made party nominee for LS polls.
But now, with their respective state leaderships leaving them to the mercy of the high commands, it seems both are fighting a battle for survival. More importantly, their party candidates have invited neither of them for campaigning. "Why should we try to invite defeat" is the general feeling of BJP and Congress nominees.