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Ajit Jogi hints at floating regional party

First chief minister of Chhattisgarh and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Ajit Jogi on Thursday dropped enough hints to snap his decades-old ties with the party and float a regional outfit.

First chief minister of Chhattisgarh and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Ajit Jogi on Thursday dropped enough hints to snap his decades-old ties with the party and float a regional outfit.

“I have been left with no options but to quit Congress and explore formation of a new party that alone will ensure ‘Raman Singh-mukt’ Chhattisgarh in the next Assembly elections,” Mr Jogi, who was apparently upset over denial of a Rajya Sabha ticket by the party, told reporters in his Raipur residence. He also claimed that 15 out of 38 Congress MLAs in the state have been in touch with him.

He said, “This (Congress) is not the same party which once adhered to ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. I have already sought permission from Congress president Sonia Gandhi to free me of Congress. I will announce the symbol, flag and name of the new party on June 6,” he declared.

AICC general secretary and former MP CM Digvijay Singh recalled Mr Jogi’s role in the Antagarh Assembly bypoll and referred to the audio tape regarding “fixing” of the election by Mr Jogi. Meanwhile, party spoke-sperson Jairam Ramesh said it was unfortunate.

“The manner in which Mr Jogi has sold off the Congress candidate Manturam Pawar to the BJP is for all of you to see. It is beneficial for Congress if such persons leave the party, who are engaged in trading the declared candidate of Congress for some crores of rupees,” Mr Singh said.

He said the party would have heard his complaints. The Congress had made Mr Jogi the CM, MP and the CWC member, Mr Ramesh said while responding to questions.

Speculation had been rife since last six months on his leaving party after his MLA son Amit was expelled from Congress following exposure of his alleged role in fixing the Antagarh by-election to ensure victory of BJP candidate two years ago.

The Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) had also recommended the AICC leadership to expel Mr Jogi from the party on the similar charges. The decision was still pending with the Central party leadership. His wife, Renu Jogi, is a Congress MLA.

Mr Jogi had earlier expressed his displeasure over the Central party leadership not taking him into confidence while giving RS ticket to Chayya Verma, a loyalist of Mr Baghel, considered his bête noir.

Reacting to the development , AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh observed that it was good for Congress persons like him (Mr Jogi) who did not hesitate to sell party candidate for crores of rupees to BJP as was recorded in audio, leaving the party.

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