Fight Mode On

As Chhattisgarh is going to the polls towards the end of the year, the main contenders have started work

- Pratul Sharma/Raipur

Elections maybe six months away, but Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh is not taking any chances. The longest serving BJP chief minister has already conducted two yatras this year to gauge the public mood, and to tackle any possible anti-incumbency feeling against his third consecutive tenure.

The opposition regrouping could make his electoral battle tougher this time. In the resource-rich state, dominated by tribal population, the BJP and the main opposition party—the Congress—have been able to retain their vote share in last three assembly elections. But, the difference between the BJP and the Congress vote share was only 0.7 per cent in 2013.

So, it is crucial for Singh to tomtom his initiatives in the backward state. In his Dilip Chhabria-designed bulletproof bus, named Vikas Rath, the chief minister is visiting various constituencies. He is literally handing over letters and cheques of various government schemes, and people, particularly women, are flocking to his rallies with the hope of getting the largesse.

Another innovative step taken by Singh is the crediting of bonuses to the bank accounts of farmers. “It is bonuses worth ₹1,700 crore that we are distributing. It is a matter of great enthusiasm for the farmers as we are transferring their dues to their accounts [live during the rally], at the rate of ₹300 per kilogram for paddy,” says Singh.

The yatra is also the time to lay foundation stones for all possible projects, however small it maybe, before the model code of conduct kicks in. He has already committed projects worth ₹30,000 crore.