Chhattisgarh Congress president Deepak Baij has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of playing "communal and divisive" politics in a bid to come to power in the state after the assembly polls due later this year.
The ruling Congress in the state has been keeping a close watch on all regional parties and small groups, seeking to contest the assembly polls in their areas of influence, particularly in tribal-dominated pockets, Mr. Baij told PTI.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) does not have any electoral prospects in Chhattisgarh, he claimed.
The 42-year-old Lok Sabha member from Bastar seat (reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates) also said the Congress will collectively fight the assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, senior party leaders, and by highlighting the achievements of the state government's welfare schemes.
“The BJP has been left with no issues to corner the Chhattisgarh government and therefore it has resorted to the policy of 'divide and rule'. Its agenda is to divide people on the lines of caste and religion and make people fight with one another,” alleged Mr. Baij, who took over as the state Congress chief last month.
He referred to some alleged incidents of clashes over burial of the deceased belonging to tribal families that have converted to Christianity in Bastar region.
“Ask those facing problems in burying their deceased family member when they have converted. They had accepted (Christianity) 10-15 years ago during the previous BJP rule in the state,” the Congress leader claimed.
“If any matter is related to a village, then villagers can resolve it on their own. Why are BJP people going to those places and spreading hatred? The BJP has been trying to destabilise peace in Bastar and Chhattisgarh in a bid to come to power. However, they will never succeed as the people of Bastar and Chhattisgarh have identified their real face,” he further claimed.
Mr. Baij also slammed the BJP-led Centre over the Enforcement Directorate's action into the alleged coal and liquor scams in the state.
"The allegations levelled by the ED are baseless and the agency has just become a tool of the BJP. It is acting at the behest of the BJP in non-BJP ruled states," he alleged.
But, such action will not have any impact (on the poll outcome) in Chhattisgarh, he added.
Asked if he sees the forthcoming state polls as a challenge, Mr. Baij said, “Every election is a challenge whether it is of assembly or panchayat. Our government has worked for the welfare of every section in the last four-and-a-half years. The party's organisation has been working right from booth level to state level. We don't have any problem.”
On whether some sitting MLAs will be denied ticket, he said there is still time (left for polls) and equations may change in a day or night.
"Many MLAs are doing well...those who are coming to us, we are telling them to go and remain active on the ground. So, it is too early for me to say anything more on this as CM sahab has been working since the last four-and-a-half years, he has been in touch with each legislator and taking note of everything separately," he said.
To a query on the Sarva Adivasi Samaj's (SAS) plans to contest polls in tribal-dominated areas, he said, “If some people want to do politics, then what can we do?"
Bastar had always been a bastion of the Congress, except in one or two elections when the people of Bastar were "misled by BJP's lies and deceit,” Mr. Baij claimed.
SAS, an umbrella body of tribal groups in the state, has decided to contest polls in about 50 seats, including 29 reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates.
Mr. Baij expressed confidence that the Congress will win all 12 seats in Bastar region.
He said the Congress has been closely monitoring the situation and if there are some shortcomings, they will be addressed.
"We do not have any problem in Bastar or elsewhere in the state. As far as the AAP is concerned, it is limited to Delhi and Punjab and it does not have any prospects in Chhattisgarh. However, we have been keeping a close watch on all small parties," he said.
In the 2018 assembly polls, the Congress returned to power in Chhattisgarh after a long gap by won 68 of the total 90 seats.
The BJP had finished a distant second by winning 15 seats, while the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) bagged five seats and its ally Bahujan Samaj Party got two seats.
The Congress currently has 71 members in the State assembly.
