Nagpur: Well-known entrepreneur Chandrapal Chouksey, who contested on the Congress ticket from Ramtek in the 2004 assembly polls, has decided to throw his hat in the ring again as an independent after the Ramtek assembly seat went to the Shiv Sena UBT quota. However, Chouksey says this is not ‘rebellion', but rather a conviction that Ramtek needs a change.
"I do not hold any post in the Congress party, so to call me a Congress rebel would be wrong. I will file my nomination on Tuesday, since a lot of people from Ramtek requested me to do so," said Chouksey.
With the bulk of his business interests located in and around the Ramtek area, Chouksey says he has a local connection that goes beyond politics. "I have been working in this area, for this region, for over two decades now," said Chouksey. "People have seen my social work and know that I am always there to help those in need. I never discriminate, and the people of the Ramtek constituency have showered me with love too," he added.
For the assembly polls, Chouksey said his campaign agenda will focus on employment. "A long time ago, I started a campaign to ensure that every house in every village has multiple earning members. I have organised weekly skill training for women of all villages in Ramtek, where experts from all over the country come to teach them skills like cooking, baking, stitching etc, so that they can start their own micro-level businesses," said Chouksey.
Over 25,000 women received free training and guidance from experts in these camps, said Chouksey. "The weekend trainings were entirely free, and we even guided them on microfinance. The situation is such that some villagers have started their food product businesses where biscuits from Mahua flowers are being made, apart from art and craft items," said Chouksey.
While Chouksey is confident that his outreach campaign will give him the edge, the Ramtek fight promises to be an interesting one as the official MVA candidate is Sena UBT's Vishal Barbate against Shiv Sena Shinde's Ashish Jaiswal.
Congress tried till the end to get the Ramtek seat, but so far, Sena UBT has not agreed to this suggestion. While nominations can still be filed till Tuesday, even if it works out, the Congress candidate will be Rajendra Mulak.
Meanwhile, Chouksey appears to have made up his mind to contest the poll regardless of what happens.