No anti-incumbency in Chhattisgarh, BJP may change 25 per cent tickets: Brijmohan Agrawal

Up to 25 per cent tickets can be changed by the BJP for the upcoming Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, senior party leader and Cabinet minister Brijmohan Agrawal said Thursday, asserting there is no anti-incumbency against the Raman Singh-led government in the state.

Debunking suggestions of differences between him and Singh, he said there may be some differences on certain issues but there are no hard feelings between them.

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“There is no infighting in the party. I have very cordial relations with the chief minister. There are no hard feelings between us, may be approach is different on some issues,” Agrawal told PTI.

Talking about anti-incumbency, he said there maybe discontent against some individuals and that is why political parties get surveys done ahead of the elections to decide on tickets.

“Twenty-five per cent tickets are likely to be changed in the BJP. I am sure when tickets are changed then people will again be with the BJP. People may be angry with some individuals for different personal reasons but they are not anti-BJP,” Agrawal said.

Polls for 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly are due this year end. He made light of the recent tie-up between Ajit Jogi’s Janta Congress Chhattisgarh and Mayawati’s BSP, saying it would not hurt the BJP, which has its voters intact, but would be detrimental to the Congress.

“If the BSP and Jogi fight elections together, then it is very beneficial for the BJP. The party has got its own support base and voters. Our vote bank is intact. People from all castes and creed are with the BJP due to different development works done by us. We will surely get more votes this time too and form the government,” Agrawal said.

He claimed Jogi was the B team of the Congress, contrary to his perceived closeness with Raman Singh.

“He (Jogi) is the B team of the Congress. Congress apni bala taalne ke liye aisi koshish karti hai’ (Congress say this to get rid of its own problem). In reality, he (Jogi) is Congress’ B team,” the senior minister in the state said.

Citing the dual-party system in Chhattisgarh and neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, he said the main fight, if at all that happens, in the Assembly polls will only be between the BJP and the Congress.

“Jogi will only divide some votes. But he won’t be able to take away any result-oriented votes,” said Agrawal, who holds the charge of water resources department, agriculture and biotechnology, animal husbandry and fisheries among others.

He said elections in the state will be fought in the name of Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “It is known to everyone now that elections will be fought in the name of Raman Singh and the prime minister. But what will happen in the time to come, (about the CM’s face), that will be decided by the party. And whatever party decides, everyone will have agree to it,” Agrawal said.

He, however, said the BJP is a disciplined party and everyone gets what they deserve. “I have never asked anything from the party. It decides everything after analysing eligibility of individuals,” he said.

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Agrawal said the BJP will form its government for the fourth consecutive term in the state. 

“The BJP is all ready to form its government for the fourth time. We have started all preparations for winning the elections. The chief minister has started a mass contact programme. We are highlighting different Centre and state-run welfare schemes for the people during programme and seeking votes on the sole agenda of all round development,” he added.