Jogi ready to plough on Shukla turf

‘‘Look at me, don’t you know me for years as your collector and then as chief minister for three years? Now, I am in a new role and I promise to serve you as your kamiyan (servant). Tomorrow, if you tell me to plough your fields, I will do so happily. You will be free to wake me at midnight and pull my ears if I fail. I have no ego,’’ he said.

Jogi’s speech mainly hinged on development but also harped on his tribal identity. ‘‘I eat basi roti (stale food) and can even go without food or comforts. But at times, like many of you, I relish bokra bhaat (mutton and rice),’’ he said.

‘‘Go and see how Marwahi (Assembly constituency) changed after I got elected from there. I never assumed the airs of a chief minister. There, I serve as a kamiyan. I pledge to do that here and make Mahasamund a model,’’ he went on to say in the local dialect, something that not even the Shuklas can do.

Filing his nomination papers on the last day, Jogi sounded confident of victory as he saw hundreds of supporters following him through the streets of Mahasamund town. Over a dozen Congress MLAs and former ministers — including V.C. Shukla’s nephew Amitesh Shukla — were part of the motorcade that clogged the streets for over three hours.

Some of Shukla’s old rivals and friends — Lal Chankrakar, Gurmukh Singh Hora, Rajendra Tiwari, Subash Duppar, Gajraj Pagaria and Surya Kant Tiwari — were also seen with Jogi.

Before Jogi’s vehicle rolled out of his newly-allotted government accomodation — Sagaun bungalow (which is said to be jinxed) — a special puja was performed. But his confidant, Pawan Diwan, a religious guru who was supposed to be named the Congress candidate, stayed away. Sources say Diwan has even refused to answer

Jogi’s calls.