An all out Congress-BJP fight has been triggered in Chhattisgarh over the issue of dynasty politics. Former Chief Minister and BJP national vice-president Raman Singh dubbed the ‘Gandhi Family’ as the biggest supporter of dynasty politics, while CM Bhupesh Baghel retaliated by stating that Raman Singh has ensured tickets for his nephew and niece.
The political argument broke out after both the leaders commented on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent statement regarding dynasty politics wherein the Congress leader had asked “What does Amit Shah’s son do exactly? What does Rajnath Singh’s son do?”
Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s statement, the former CM Raman Singh said ” This family (referring to the Gandhi family) has spent 70 years doing dynasty politics. This dynasty politics started from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and now Priyanka’s children. If anyone in the country is the biggest supporter of dynasty politics, it is only one family (referring to the Gandhi family) and no other name appeared in the entire country for 70 years.
Meanwhile, extending support to the statement of Rahul Gandhi, CM Baghel said that BJP in seeped in dynasty politics, be it the former CM Raman Singh, Rajnath Singh or Amit Shah, everyone has favoured their families.
Calling the statement of Rahul Gandhi correct, Baghel targeted Raman Singh after the BJP fielded the former CM’s nephew Vikrant Singh (from Khairagarh) and niece Bhawana Bohra (from Pandariya).
Both the BJP and the Congress have fielded several candidates with links to political families in this election in Chhattisgarh. In the BJP some examples are Kedar Kashyap and Dinesh Kashyap, sons of prominent leader from Bastar Baliram Kashyap; Amar Agrawal from Bilaspur, son of Lakhiram Agrawal; and Damrudhar Pujari, son of Balram Pujari (MLA from Bindranavagarh).
The Congress also has its share of family satraps being given the Congress ticket like, MLA from Rajim Amitesh Shukla who belongs to the family of Pt Ravishankar Shukla, incumbent MLA from Durg, Arun Vora who is the son of Motilal Vora.
The elections for the 90-member Assembly of Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases. The first phase of polling for 20 seats will be held on November 7, and the remaining 70 seats will go to polls on November 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 3.
Earlier after the 2018 assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, the Congress witnessed a landslide victory winning 68 seats out of 90 of those against the then ruling-BJP, which acquired 15 seats.
(with inputs from ANI)
