Will Congress Face Setbacks in Chhattisgarh Ahead of Lok Sabha Elections ?

In Chhattisgarh, the Congress party is encountering a series of challenges in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. Following the resignations of former MLAs Manturam Panwar and Chunnilal Sahu, 15 additional former MLAs have been in communication with the BJP for the past one and a half months. While there was initially a plan to induct all of them into the BJP simultaneously, ongoing discussions within the BJP are deliberating some names. Sources indicate that within the next 15 days, the entry of additional leaders is anticipated, particularly those under the radar of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Consequently, only Chunnilal Sahu has been officially admitted to the BJP thus far. The responsibility for inductions into the BJP has been assigned to senior leaders Ajay Chandrakar and Saurabh Singh. However, upon speaking with former MLAs, the majority have explicitly denied any immediate plans to join the BJP, with some stating that decisions will be made in consultation with party workers. Mohit Kerkatta, who opposed the party when his ticket was revoked in 2023, clarified that there is currently no intention to switch allegiances. Meanwhile, Mahant Ramsundar Das, who faced a similar ticket setback, affirmed his commitment to the Congress. Others, like Brihaspati Singh and Chandradev Rai, echoed similar sentiments of loyalty to the Congress and disinterest in joining the BJP. However, due to their association with the Ram temple and ongoing ED scrutiny, deliberations are ongoing regarding their potential entry. The situation is akin for leaders like Bhuvaneshwar Baghel and Shishupal Sori, who expressed discontent after their tickets were revoked in the previous assembly elections but remain hesitant to join the BJP. Dr. Vinay Jaiswal, who was expelled from the Congress for speaking out against party leaders, reiterated that while there have been contacts, there is no inclination to join the BJP. Additionally, seven more former MLAs have been in contact with the BJP, including two rebel former MLAs and five former MLAs who faced ticket rejections in 2023 despite significant victories in 2018. All these leaders, dissatisfied with the election outcomes, recently met Congress National General Secretary KC Venugopal, where they were reassured that the party had attempted to accommodate all willing candidates. Nonetheless, a few leaders exited the Congress, and their names were subsequently forwarded to Ajay Chandrakar for consideration. However, objections have been raised for some names within the organization, leading to their status being put on hold. Despite this, senior party leaders affirm that the BJP's doors remain open for all those interested in joining, albeit without any conditions attached, resulting in names with stipulations being temporarily withheld.