Chattisgarh polls: Unpopular MLAs to be replaced

Raipur: Eyeing a fourth term in Chhattisgarh, the BJP is all set to replace a large number of its sitting MLAs with new faces to beat anti-incumbency at the local level. Speaking exclusively to this newspaper, Chhattisgarh chief minister Dr Raman Singh said that a survey is being conducted to ascertain people’s perception of party MLAs and the ministers. Elections are scheduled to be held at the end of year in Chattisgarh.  

Dr Singh, criss-crossing the state for the ‘Vikas Yatra’, admitted that after 15 years of straight rule there is “bound to be anti-incumbency”, particularly in some constituencies. The survey, according to him, was being held to find these constituencies, MLAs and ministers whose performance was “not upto the mark”. Dr Singh stressed on the need to infuse “fresh blood” in the organisation.

Incidentally, the BJP is also conducting an internal survey across the states to rate the performance of the MLAs and state ministers. Another survey was being conducted through the NaMo App. The party has asked people to give their feedback on all their sitting MLAs, MPs and the state ministers in the BJP-ruled states. BJP chief Amit Shah is closely monitoring the surveys.

A BJP Lok Sabha MP, while speaking about the forthcoming polls said, “Dr Singh’s government is popular but people in many areas are not happy with sitting MLAs.”

While Dr Singh has embarked on his ‘Vikas Yatra, which started on May 11, the Congress in the state was trying to counter it with “Vikas Dhundo Yatra” (Search for Vikas). The Vikas Yatra will culminate at Bhilai on June 14. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be  addressing a rally on the concluding day of the yatra.