Loyalists in Chhattisgarh Congress are keenly watching the moves by the party high command after they apprised the Central leadership of the alleged rebellion by former chief minister Ajit Jogi, threatening to upset party’s applecart in the November Assembly polls in the state.
“We met AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi to brief them on the ongoing campaign by Mr Jogi against senior party leaders, which may damage party’s prospects in the coming Assembly polls in the state. The ball is now in the high command’s court. We are waiting with our fingers crossed for the next move by the leadership,” a senior Congress leader told this newspaper here on Thursday requesting anonymity.
While Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) president and Union minister of state for agriculture Charan Das Mahant met both AICC president and vice-president earlier in the week, senior leaders such as state party programme coordinator Bhupesh Baghel, former PCC president Dhanendra Sahu and Congress MLA Rudra Guru met Mr Gandhi last week in Delhi to draw his attention to the situation arising out of Mr Jogi’s alleged mutiny.
Party sources here said the high command has taken the matter seriously and may take a call on Mr Jogi very soon before things go out of control.
It is learnt that a private firm which allowed Mr Jogi to hire its chopper to tour the state to address a series of public meetings at different places, has now withdrawn the facility to him following “intervention” by Congress leadership.
Sources said the party’s “Krishna Plan” in Karnataka which had successfully contained former chief minister S.M. Krishna by denying him the opportunity to set up rebels in the polls just before last Assembly elections, may not work in Mr Jogi’s case.
“The wily Mr Jogi is aware of the plan and has already started exploring all options, including floating a regional party or stitching up a third front of fringe parties in the state in case he is dumped by Congress,” a close aide of Mr Jogi revealed.