Raman Singh has pushed tribal leaders to corner: Jogi

Raipur, June 23 (UNI) Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi today alleged that Chief Minister Raman Singh has pushed senior tribal and backward class leaders from the BJP to the corner.

Mr Jogi made the statement while replying to a question by here reporters yesterday over the statement by Dr Singh that tribal leaders had been sidelined during recent reshuffle within the Congress.

''Before levelling charges on the Congress, Dr Singh should think about the BJP, where tribal and backward class leaders have been marginalised. It's an open secret that senior tribal leaders from Nand Kumar Sai to Nankiram Kanwar were pushed to the corner by Dr Singh soon after he assumed power,'' he said, adding that nobody has forgotten the manner in which senior tribal leader Shiv Pratap Singh was insulted.

Mr Jogi said Mr Kanwar was removed from the cabinet because he was effectively curbing activities of rice millers and other corrupt people. Tribal leaders had to stage a sit-in in order to enter the CM house.

He said efforts had been made to marginalise and harras backward class leader Ramesh Bais, former state BJP Presidents Tarachand Sahu and Jageshwar Sahu.

Claiming that a rebellion was brewing within the state BJP, Mr Jogi said situation could have worsened had the Congress fanned the fire. However, the party does not believe in ''thod phod ki rajniti (splitting parties).'' The Congress leader pointed out that the party gave the state first tribal Chief Minister and made another tribal opposition leader.

He said recent reshuffle within the Congress had increased troubles for the BJP. Dr Singh should worry about the BJP and not the Congress.

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