Jogi keen to take on Chhattisgarh CM in next polls

Raipur, Dec 21 (UNI) Senior Congress leader Ajit Jogi today said he was keen to contest against Chief Minister Raman Singh in the next assembly elections in Chhattisgarh.

''I am ready to contest from any constituency from where Dr Singh contests the next elections,'' he told newspersons here.

Pointing out that he was also keen to take on Dr Singh on his home turf at Kawardha, the former CChief Minister said the only thing was that he would have to impress upon Mr Yogiraj Singh, the sitting Congress legislator from that constituency.

Asked whether he felt that Dr Singh would shift from his present Dongergaon constituency, Mr Jogi said it was possible as the atmosphere there was neither in favour of Dr Singh nor the BJP.

Mr Jogi said the outcome of the recent Assembly by-election in Kota, where his wife Dr Renu had won by an impressive margin of more than 23,000 votes, was a clear indication of the mood prevailing among the state's electorate.

Alleging that the BJP government's popularity has nose-dived to its lowest ebb in the last three years, the former Chief Minister, however, did not agree with the perception of his party legislators who had demanded Dr Singh's resignation.

''I am not in favour of his resignation. The BJP government will collapse under its own weight,'' he said, adding it would ultimately benefit the Congress if Dr Singh and his team continued in office.

Asked about the possibility of a change in the leadership of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in the state, Mr Jogi said such issues have to be decided by the high command and he was sure that it would take appropriate decisions in the interests of the organisation.

UNI JJ SHB ND1542