Ahead of polls, Jogi didn’t need the schoolbag

The polls have brought a bagful of woes for Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogi. After facing the Election Commission’s wrath on distribution of schoolbags, now the Rs 25-crore deal on purchase of bags has come under question. The BJP today claimed that the government placed orders for school bags to raise ‘‘election funds for Congress’’ and demanded a white paper.

‘‘At least Rs 8.50 crore out of this deal has done to the Congress election fund,’’ BJP Legislature Party leader Nand Kumar Sai alleged. The initial orders for 25 lakh schoolbags were placed with a Kolkata-based firm but a dispute over delayed supplies led to the deal’s cancellation; an issue now before the Chhattisgarh High Court. In September, the government selected two firms and ordered for supply of 10 lakh bags at Rs 54 each. Sai also alleged that these bags are available at Rs 24 each.

Laloo to campaign for Chhattisgarh CM

RAIPUR: RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav has sent word to Ajit Jogi that he will campaign for him. Since Jogi has been trying to play the adivasi card and has organised the OBCs, Laloo will prove to be an asset. He had also addressed a Yadav meet with Jogi, in Raipur last year. Film star Govinda is also expected to campaign for Jogi. Meanwhile, the BJP has received confirmations from Hema Malini and Shah Rukh Khan, besides Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha. On Thursday, P. Shiv Shankar, a former union minister, addressed rallies in three Assembly constitencies. —ENS Story continues below this ad

It’s not just Ajit Jogi’s picture on the bags that has created furore; there’s also confusion whether it’s a government scheme or that of the Congress.

Defending the deal, Tribal Development Principal Secretary S. Minj said the current order for purchase of 10 lakh schoolbags cost only Rs 5 crore and supplies have just started reaching the districts.

‘‘Since the first firm failed to send supplies in time, the orders were placed to two other firms who had given their bids. We have stopped bag distribution after EC orders,’’ he claimed. This is contested by BJP MLA Brij Mohan Aggarwal who has filed a PIL in the high court.