Ajit Jogi’s bahu set to join BSP, more to follow

Bhopal: Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) supremo Ajit Jogi’s daughter-in-law Richa is all set to join the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the alliance partner in the state.

Richa Jogi, who played a key role in building the two-year-old party founded by her father-in-law and former chief minister Ajit Jogi after the latter broke away from Congress in 2016, would formally be inducted in the BSP in a day or two, sources in BSP in Chhattisgarh told this newspaper on Friday.

“Ms Jogi, along with another JCC leader Gitanjali Patel, has informally joined the BSP late on Thursday evening. But the formal announcement of their induction in the party will be made soon,” the BSP leader said requesting not to be quoted.

According to him, Richa was most likely to be fielded in Akaltara Assembly constituency in Chhattisgarh in the coming Assembly elections by the BSP.

The Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in two phases on November 12 and 20.

Similarly, Ms Patel, who was earlier declared JCC candidate from Chandrapur Assembly constituency in Chhattisgarh, is likely to contest from the same seat as a BSP candidate. Chandrapur is known as the BSP bastion. Sources said at least half-a-dozen JCC leaders may join the BSP in the coming days.

Interestingly, the four-member Jogi family, comprising senior Jogi, his son Amit, wife Renu and daughter-in-law Richa, would belong to three political parties if BSP inducted the Jogi “Bahu” in the party.

While Mr Jogi and his son, a sitting MLA, are in JCC, Renu is a sitting Congress MLA.

Junior Jogi was expelled from Congress a couple of years ago amid allegation of fixing of an assembly bypoll in Chhattisgarh leading to victory of a ruling BJP candidate.