Congress loyalists form new group to bring back party's golden days in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Jan 10: Congress loyalists have formed a new group in Chhattisgarh to help the party regain its golden days in the state by "exposing" alleged corruption and wrong doings of the BJP government.

Named 'Indira Vahini' and comprising Congressmen whose families have been associated with the party for generations, the new group will identify and approach other families wedded to Congress ideology to work for the party's victory in the next Assembly polls.

"We will form crack teams in all the 90 Assembly constituencies of the state. These teams will establish contact with traditional Congress supporters and look for deficiencies in the BJP government in the state and expose it.

"These findings will then be shared with the Congress high command in Delhi before making them public. The aim is to bring back golden days for Congress in the state," said Bhujit Doshi, coordinator and brain behind Indira Vahini.

Congress has lost three successive Assembly polls in the state in 2003, 2008 and 2013 to BJP. Recently, Amit Jogi, son of Congress' former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, was suspended by the party for his alleged involvement in fixing Antagarh assembly bypoll in 2014 which was won by the BJP nominee.

Amit Jogi is a Congress MLA from Marwahi constituency.

"We intend to dissuade the embattled party leaders from sabotaging its poll prospects in 2018 Assembly elections. We are not after party ticket but for party's victory in all the elections including Assembly polls due in November 2018," said Doshi, who is also incharge of social media cell of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee.

In the last Assembly polls, the difference in vote share between BJP and Congress was less than one lakh.

"In all 90 seats, the difference of votes share between BJP and Congress was less than one lakh. This situation can change in future elections provided Congress supporters are united in the state. Our effort is aimed at this," said Doshi, son of renowned journalist from naxal-hit Bastar region Late Kirit Doshi.

BJP had polled 53,65,272 votes and Congress 52,67,698 in the 2013 Assembly election. Bhujit, who has been in Congress for the past 25 years, said the party can easily form its government with two thirds majority as people are fed up with the present BJP dispensation.

Nilmani Choubey, another senior Congressman, said 'Indira Vahini' under no circumstances will work as a B team of any heavyweight. This group will serve as a helping hand for the Congress, he said.

PTI