Rajnandgaon bypoll: Stakes high for Raman

The Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha bypoll, scheduled for March 29, 2007, has emerged as a major challenge for Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh.

The Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha bypoll, scheduled for March 29, 2007, has emerged as a major challenge for Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh. Even though he may not admit it in as many words there are various factors that have revved up the importance of this by-poll for the Chief Minister.

For one, losing the Kota assembly by-poll to Congress candidate Renu Jogi, Ajit Jogi’s wife, has built up the pressure on Raman Singh. People have already begun raising questions about the CM’s leadership abilities.

Also, with Singh having defeated Congress stalwart and former UP Governor Moti Lal Vora from this Lok Sabha seat during the 1999 polls, expectations are high this time round too. Senior party leaders also feel

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victory at these times would boost the morale of the BJP cadres, which has touched rock bottom due to various reasons apart from the Kota defeat.

BJP MP Pradeep Gandhi’s (who represented this Lok Sabha seat) name featuring in the on-camera cash-for-question scandal has upset many in the party. Complicating matters for the CM is his closeness to Gandhi, who was apparently given the Lok Sabha ticket at his behest.

Their closeness dates back to the time when Gandhi, who represented the Dongargaon Assembly seat had vacated it for Raman Singh. (Dongargaon Assembly seat is part of the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat.)

The BJP cadres know the bypoll round the corner would not be a cake walk. Expelling Gandhi has done little to impress the voters, they feel.

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They are also a little disillusioned with the former State Finance Minister Amar Agrawal being made the fall guy of the Kota defeat even though the entire State Cabinet had rolled up its sleeves for the Kota bypoll.

Meanwhile, both the Congress and the BJP are finalising the names of candidates for the constituency. The last date for filing the nominations is March 10 and the counting of votes will begin on April 1.