The Hindu : Raman Singh 'pained' at Judev, Jogi episodes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 10, 2003

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Raman Singh 'pained' at Judev, Jogi episodes

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI DEC. 9. The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Raman Singh, today said all political parties should respect established norms in politics.

"The Dilip Singh Judev and Ajit Jogi episodes are indicative of a degradation of politics in Chhattisgarh in the past three years. I am personally pained over the happenings,'' he said at his first press conference here.

Dr. Singh was here to meet the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and other senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders after assuming office. He is also expected to finalise the Cabinet list.

Describing the two episodes as unrelated, he said politics should also be within established limits of decency and not at a personal level, adding that energies could be channelised for the development of the State.

On the possibility of the defected Member of Parliament, P.R. Khunte, re-joining the BJP, Dr. Singh said Mr. Khunte had left on his own and the Central leadership would take a decision on his return. The proposed defection of the newly-elected BJP legislators had allegedly been planned through Mr. Khunte.

Dr. Singh said that the possibility of appointing a tribal Deputy Chief Minister was under consideration. "The final decision would be taken after a meeting with Mr. Vajpayee,'' he said, while assuring that tribal MLAs would be given due representation in the Cabinet.

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