Prestige contest: Not for Jogi, but Shukla

history,’’ said a Congress worker, who was Shukla’s poll manager in Mahasamund earlier. But this time Shukla, branded a political turncoat, is pitted against a strong candidate. Jogi, who was suspended after the cash-for-MLAs scam, made a dramatic comeback to the party and was given the ticket to fight Shukla.

It’s Shukla, not Jogi, whose prestige is at stake. As campaigning came to an end this evening, BJP posters and banners concentrate on Shukla rather than ‘‘feelgood’’. Donning a saffron scarf, Shukla has gone village-to-village reviving ties with the dominant OBC votebank.

‘‘I have served the area seven times. It’s because of you people (Mahasamund voters) that I held highest positions in the government. This time, I am seeking the mandate to complete my unfinished work and see that A.B. Vajpayee becomes PM for another five years,’’ he said.

In 1998, Shukla lost the Lok Sabha election from Raipur and since then he has been attempting to return to the limelight. He tried hard to become Chhattisgarh’s first chief minister in 2000 but Ajit Jogi, handpicked by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, elbowed him out. Then came the NCP experiment — once it also failed — Shukla formed a regional outfit. But he realised that unless he joined the BJP, it wouldn’t be easy for him to contest from Mahasamund.

What goes against Shukla is that despite holding powerful positions, he did little to develop Mahasamund. Several parts of the constituency face serious drinking water shortages, have no health facilities, roads and lack irrigation. Areas bordering Orissa have reported hunger deaths and there is no industry to provide employment.

Though it is difficult to feel the pulse in the tribal hinterland, Jogi poll managers say there has been a change after visits by Digvijay Singh, Sheila Dikshit and Ashok Gehlot. BJP leaders don’t deny that Jogi might get a chunk of tribal, OBC and SC votes.