Ajit Jogi makes U-turn on Lok Sabha poll decision

Bhopal: In a dramatic turn of events, former chief minister Ajit Jogi on Monday made a U-turn on his decision to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha elections from Korba in Chhattisgarh, sparking speculations on an imminent split in the alliance of his party, Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC), with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of Mayawati. Barely five hours after he announced to contest from Korba LS seat, Mr Jogi seemed to have backtracked on his decision, saying “I will take the final decision after consulting workers of my party”. Mr Jogi’s u-turn has left workers in his party baffled. Incidentally, Mr Jogi had earlier made a unilateral announcement to contest from Korba in the wake of declaration of candidates for nine LS constituencies in Chhattisgarh in two phases by his ally BSP without taking him into confidence. The development was viewed in political circle as sign of imminent split in Jogi-Mayawati alliance, sealed in the last year’s assembly elections in Chhattisgarh.

The alliance secured seven (JCC-5, BSP-2) out total 90 seats in Chhattisgarh. Mr Jogi however put up a brave front saying, “The alliance will not split”.

“There is no threat to JCC-BSP alliance. The alliance is intact and will remain so in future too”, he told reporters in Raipur in Chhattisgarh on Monday.

Chhattisgarh is going to LS polls in three phases during April 11- April 23.

In 2014 parliamentary elections, BJP swept the polls riding on a pro-Narendra Modi wave in Chhattisgarh winning ten out of 11 seats.