Rajya Sabha polls: In Chhattisgarh, Opposition taunts Congress for fielding ‘outsiders’

Disregarding the expectations of at least six state leaders hoping to get a ticket for the two Rajya Sabha seats, the Congress on Sunday nominated Rajeev Shukla and Ranjeet Ranjan as candidates.

Shukla is the AICC’s Himachal Pradesh in-charge and Ranjan is from Bihar.

Those hopeful of getting nominated included Vidhansabha Speaker Charandas Mahant and others such as Tulsi Sahu, a Zila Adhyaksh from CM Bhupesh Baghel’s home constituency, and PR Khunte, a veteran Congress leader since the time of (Chhattisgarh’s first CM) Ajit Jogi.

AAP’s state convener Komal Hupendi said while AAP had nominated a leader from Chhattisgarh as its RS candidate even from Punjab “it’s a matter of shame that (Cong leader and CM) Bhupesh Baghel sends Rajeev Shukla and Ranjeet Ranjan to Rajya Sabha”.

“How much are they going to insult the people?” he tweeted in the Chhattisgarhi language.

The BJP accused the Congress of “once again” deceiving leaders and people of Chhattisgarh.

“Did Congress not find even one eligible candidate from their ranks in the state? The party has repeatedly tried to downplay the locals. In the past also, they have used Chhattisgarh to nominate outsiders. The Congress doesn’t want the people of this state to have leadership,” BJP Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Dharmlal Kaushik, said.