Congress to take bigger hit from Jogi-Maya alliance: Raman Singh
Raman Singh, the longest-serving BJP chief minister who is seeking a fourth term in Chhattisgarh, says the developmental programmes implemented by his government will lead to “pro-incumbency” in the assembly elections. In an interview with Dalip Singh, he, however, admits that the presence of the Ajit Jogi-led alliance as a third front will impact the votes of both the BJP and Congress, though the latter will take a bigger hit. Excerpts:
What have been your achievements and challenges during the 15-year stint as chief minister?
I started in 2003 and when I look back in 2018 I feel it was a great challenge to confront starvation, poverty, migration and poor infrastructure. Now that we are in 2018, Chhattisgarh is no longer poor and backward but is counted among the developing states. We have tried to lay a network of roads through NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) and PMGSY (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana), taking it from 22,000 kilometres to 60,000 km. Not only roads, air connectivity has also improved. There was no electricity and even if it existed the voltage was low. Power generation capacity has gone up from 4,000 megawatts in 2003 to 22,000 mw. We have taken electricity to the last village. Villagers are happy that our government provided food security as well as health security … We are also giving better education to people.
Do you feel anti-incumbency is an issue?
Even in 2008 and 2013, people would ask me the same question. But due to government programmes, anti-incumbency has been converted into pro-incumbency. I have travelled 12,000 kms and visited every village. People were facing problems from patwari, panchayat, school and water. These issues were addressed through a special Lok Swaraj Abhiyan. I had also taken out Vikas Yatra. This way we have been able to establish direct communication with people … and link people with the system. What the Congress could not do in 55 years, the BJP has done in 15 years.
There was talk about dropping sitting MLAs to give a chance to new faces. It didn’t happen in Chhattisgarh on a scale done previously in other BJP-ruled states such as Gujarat to beat voter fatigue. Why?
We have changed in Chhattisgarh and brought many new faces as well. At the same time, we have repeated sitting MLAs taking into account how active they are and if they are in regular touch with people of their area … We have dropped 12 legislators.
Chhattisgarh is witnessing a triangular contest among the BJP, Congress and the Ajit Jogi-led alliance. How do you view it?
Last three elections, we fought directly with the opposition. This time, a new alliance of Jogi-Mayawati has come up and I think it is giving rise to a third front and it would lead to division of votes.
Will division of votes help the BJP or impact both national parties? It will damage both parties.
It’s not just that it will hurt the Congress alone. But, they will cut into Congress votes more.
Don’t you think the Jogi-Mayawati-CPI coalition will impact BJP’s electoral prospects in the reserved constituencies?
Jogi’s influence. Jogi has fought elections while being in the Congress. Now he is contesting after getting out of it. It’s not that SCs don’t vote for us. We are repeatedly winning elections on SC seats. Due to government policies, we have been able to create space among SCs and get percentage of their votes too. Our fight, however, is 100% with the Congress.
Poll surveys are showing a close fight in the assembly elections…
If you see the last few election results, you will find that there was not much vote percentage difference … it was only 1.4 (in 2003) and 0.8 (in 2013) percent gap (between votes polled by the BJP and Congress). This trend is here. But this time we are working towards increasing the vote percentage. We hope we can achieve that.
You have started your campaign from Naxal-affected Bastar. What’s the message you are trying to convey?
We are going to the people with the message that we want to see Chhattisgarh as a developed state. Using present scenario and infrastructure as base we would like to create a ‘Nava (new) Chhattisgarh’. The vision is to double GDP which would lead to increase of the income of people, education for all, and employment for everyone… Chhattisgarh will become one of most developed state of the country. This is the imagination we have with which we are going to seek votes.
There is a history of Naxal violence before or at the time of polls to scare people away from the election process. Your comments.
Whether it is panchayat elections, or for municipal corporation, assembly or Lok Sabha, they oppose it and every other democratic process. They put all their might. They would loot ballot boxes and indulge in other disruptive exercises. If you see, last two elections, the voting percentage was the highest in Bastar where threats are issued for chopping off fingers, hand and neck … People vote in large numbers if there is freedom and police protection. This time also, the voting percentage will go up.
Do you think your government has been able to control Naxal terror the way other affected states have done?
Chhattisgarh is the centre point. We have to fight Naxals since from here they venture out to other states. They are fighting their last battle in Chhattisgarh. They want to fight it with much vigour. Their activity has been curtailed and have been confined to limited area. We have had success in making enough roads — state highways, national highways, rural roads and bridges. This is a difficult terrain of 40,000 sq kms. There is also inter-state border … (with) Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra. In times to come, I can say that we will be able to overcome remaining problems in Bastar through development and peace would prevail.
Elections to BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh would likely reflect the mood of the nation ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. How do you view it?
The 2018 Vidhan Sabha and 2019 Lok Sabha elections will be a test. In this test, the BJP will be 100% successful in Chhattisgarh.
Your home seat of Rajnandgaon is witnessing an interesting contest. Congress has pitched former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s niece, Karuna Shukla, against you.
You can find out from the people of Rajnandgaon. I have the blessing and trust of Rajnandgaon. She has never connected with the people of that area. It was also never her area of work. She had contested Lok Sabha elections from Bilaspur, contested assembly polls from somewhere else. She has jumped into the fray at the last time. I don’t think she can pose a challenge.
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