BJP will win Chattisgarh again, Ajit Jogi not a factor: Brijmohan Agrawal

The entry of Jogi, a former Congress leader and former chief minister, and his outfit Janta Congress would make the Chhattisgarh election a three-way fight, Agrawal said (File)

The BJP will beat anti-incumbency to win the Chhattisgarh assembly polls for a fourth term and the entry of a new political outfit led by Ajit Jogi will not hinder but improve its chances, says state minister Brijmohan Agrawal. BJP national president Amit Shah has set a target of 65 of 90 seats in the state assembly in the elections scheduled later this year and the party is working overtime to achieve it, the Chhattisgarh agriculture minister said.

The entry of Jogi, a former Congress leader and former chief minister, and his outfit Janta Congress would make the Chhattisgarh election a three-way fight, he said. This would eventually benefit the BJP, Agrawal added.

Agrawal, who is the senior most minister in the state government and number two after Chief Minister Raman Singh for all practical purposes, said he was confident that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal would help BJP get a majority and regain power for a fourth consecutive term.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity and overall development of the state, especially in the agriculture sector, will be the two major factors for the party’s victory,” Agrawal told PTI. Responding to a question on Jogi’s entry and anti-incumbency of three terms, Agrawal said the two factors would be neutralised by Modi’s appeal and popularity.

Agrawal said the state had won the prestigious Krishi Karman award several times, even during the Congress-led UPA regime, for its outstanding performance. The BJP-led government had implemented various development works and growth was visible across the state, he said.