Arjun targets Chhattisgarh

PCC working-president Charan Dass Mahant has taken the command in his hand to ensure that the Minister gets a feel of his foothold in the region, despite his long absence (or virtual isolation) from here.

Besides the address at the convocation of the Ghasi Dass University at Bilaspur, preparations are being made for Singh’s meeting with the Congress workers. ‘‘We have invited all district office-bearers, heads of the frontal organisations and PCC members for the meeting at the party office,’’ said Abdul Hamid Hayyat, a district leader.

As Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Singh used to call shots in the Chhattisgarh region to tackle his known political rivals — the Shukla brothers. But gradually, Digvijay Singh, though a protege of Singh, dented his mentor’s influence. And, after Ajit Jogi was sent as the state’s first CM, Singh found himself completely out of place in Chhattisgarh politics.

But the Singh lobby has suddenly become active to revive lost grounds in the region. Party insiders say Mahant is a serious contender for the PCC chief post to replace Vora, who is more keen to stay put in the AICC or join the Central ministry. Mahant has been Singh’s trusted loyalist for years and was the chief ministerial nominee before Jogi’s name cropped-up from 10, Janpath.

And even as the camps have locked horns over who is actually responsible for the party’s dwindling graph in the state, the Arjun Singh factor in Chhattisgarh now adds a serious dimension to the faction-ridden party.

The Jogi camp, which includes at least 29 MLAs and two Rajya Sabha members, has been pressing for replacing PCC president Motilal Vora, working president Mahant and Congress Legislature Party leader Mohinder Karma. Thus, Mahant now banks heavily on Singh’s support in Chhattisgarh, and Delhi, to keep Jogi at bay.