Buck up or lose tickets, Jogi tells ministers, MLAs

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi spent the whole day yesterday meeting Congress MLAs in Raipur, discussing the party’s survey repo...

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi spent the whole day yesterday meeting Congress MLAs in Raipur, discussing the party’s survey report. This was just a day after Jogi faced the BJP’s no-confidence motion in the Assembly. The meeting began at 11 am with the CM calling ministers and MLAs individually. After six hours, he let them leave.

Sources said the survey indicated that 30 per cent of the MLAs have no chance of retaining their seat. Jogi asked MLAs to either improve prospects or make way for new faces. Nearly a dozen Ministers also fall in a similar category.

Another yatra

RAIPUR: It’s yatra boom in Chhattisgarh. Within a week after his Vikas Yatra ended at the Mahamaya temple in Bilaspur district, CM Ajit Jogi has announced another yatra — Kranti Jyoti Yatra. The yatra led by sitting ministers and MLAs covering their respective Assembly constituencies will start on August 9 and end on August 15. (ENS)

Story continues below this ad

Jogi has been seeking feedback from PCC leaders over the last two days. ‘‘We will use the inputs of the vikas yatra and reports from other agencies, to formulate poll strategy,’’ Jogi said in the meeting.

Party insiders say the CM made it clear only sitting MLAs who could win would be fielded again. He is understood to have told a few ministers that they could be dropped from the Cabinet before the polls if they fail to improve.

The Congress, according to an earlier survey, is expected to get 60 plus seats in the 90-member Assembly. Though the new survey says Jogi is popular in tribal areas, his popularity has fallen in urban areas. Since the BJP has been targeting him and not the Congress, Jogi admits that he has become ‘‘an issue for the polls’’. ‘‘I want development to be an issue but the BJP, which is not interested in Chhattisgarh’s development, has made Ajit Jogi an issue,’’ the CM adds.

Singer Zubeen Garg passes away in Singapore

Entertainment1 hr ago

Popular singer Zubeen Garg passes away after scuba diving accident in Singapore. He was participating in the 4th North East India Festival and had shared a video on Instagram inviting people to attend. He was rushed to the hospital but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. More details to follow.

View all shorts

Live Blog