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Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005

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Discontent brewing in Chhattisgarh BJP

State leaders publicly criticise Raman Singh Government, threaten to take to streets The way former State BJP president Nand Kumar Sai, former Union Minister Ramesh Bais, former Deputy Speaker B.L. Agrawal and former State general secretary Virendra Pandey have expressed their displeasure clearly reflects that things are not under control in the State BJP

RAIPUR: Ruling BJP in Chhattisgarh is concerned over growing public criticism of Raman Singh government by party legislators and some even threatened to take to street protests. Whether in the Assembly or outside, it were the BJP leaders who have attacked their own party government in the state on the issues of farmers' plight, industrial development or reshuffle in ministry and administration.

"We have told the MLAs and other senior leaders not to go public about their grievances. But we are helpless since they still feel they are the leaders of the opposition party and not of the ruling one," said a top State BJP leader.

Chief Minister Raman Singh sought to play down the criticism of his government from within his own party saying he was a "small leader" and he has no differences with any of the state party leaders.

But the way former BJP state President Nand Kumar Sai, former Union Minister Ramesh Bais, former Deputy Speaker Banwari Lal Agrawal and former State party general secretary Virendra Pandey have expressed their displeasure clearly reflected that things are not under control in State BJP. Agrawal even sought permission to launch a strike against the government for its alleged negligence towards Korba district.

"What have we achieved? During the Ajit Jogi (of Congress) regime, Korba district was neglected and now during our own party government, we have got nothing," Agrawal said. He said he has written a letter to the Chief Minister to shift the headquarters of State Electricity Board to Korba from Raipur and fulfil other demands or else he should be allowed to launch a strike against the State Government.

Sai, the former Leader of the Opposition, who had unsuccessfully contested against Jogi in Marwahi assembly segment and subsequently became Sarguja BJP MP, is also an unhappy man for being allegedly sidelined from State politics as well as posting of Jogi loyalists in important administrative posts. "During the Congress regime, BJP had launched several agitations against the officials who were calling Jogi `daddy' or `uncle' and engaged in many unlawful activities and even harassing BJP leaders. But today, they have been made chiefs of various districts and given key posts in the Secretariat," Sai recently told reporters in the party office. He has also expressed his displeasure over "the way naxalite problem is being handled in the State as the Maoists have increased their activities for which developmental work is being affected," he said referring to stepped-up naxal activities in his Sarguja Lok Sabha constituency.

Virendra Pandey, who was instrumental in "exposing" Jogi for his alleged cash-for-MLAs episode, is also sore with the Raman Singh Government for not taking action against "corrupt" officials when we have our own Government in the State".

Ramesh Bais, the Raipur Lok Sabha MP and an aspirant for Chief Ministership, also went public about alleged irregularities in purchase of paddy from farmers and demanded a CBI probe on the issue saying the House Committee probe into the paddy purchase of Mowa cooperative society was not enough.

During the Budget Session in February-March, the Opposition Congress had levelled allegation of corruption in the multi-million paddy procurement deal by the cooperative society on the outskirt of the State Capital.

In various platforms, several BJP MLAs have opposed the appointment of Rajiv Ranjan of Jharkhand as Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board and some other appointments claiming "this trend would put BJP at a disadvantage in the coming days as even previous Chief Minister Jogi preferred locals on all those posts".

Dharsiwa BJP MLA Devji Patel has been grilling the government and especially Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Bhagat and Industry Minister Amar Agrawal over the pollution by industrial units in Raipur district.

"Because of huge industrial pollution, the colour of paddy has changed and farmers are forced to make distress sell of their produces. But the government is taking the side of the industry by allowing them to run their units without any pollution control device like Electro-Static Precipitator (ESP)", said Patel.

Sipat BJP MLA Badridhar Diwan and senior Tribal MLA Devlal Dugga have complained to the party leadership about the "behaviour of some ministers" and demanded early reshuffle in both the Cabinet and administration to bring "pace to the government".

When asked about the criticism of his government from his own party men, Raman Singh said: "from time to time the issues are being discussed with party leaders and if any one has any grievances that would be looked into."

When contacted for his reaction on the statements of party leaders against the BJP government, State BJP President Shiv Pratap Singh said, "if any one has any grievance that would be discussed within the party forum." — PTI

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