Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticised Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, alleging that Baghel has opened a "big market of religious conversion", which is aimed at undermining Sanatan Dharma.
Speaking at a public rally in Mahasamund city, the prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called upon the people to vote for the BJP in Chhattisgarh. He emphasised that this would enable a "double-engine government" to focus on the state's development. Sarma's rally was held ahead of the filing of nominations of BJP candidates from four constituencies- Mahasamund, Khallari, Basna and Saraipali in Mahasamund district.
'Sanatan Dharma is being attacked'
"We have to think about the situation to which the Bhupesh Baghel government has pushed Chhattisgarh. Religious conversions are taking place. A conspiracy is being played to convert tribals in every part of the state. Sanatan (Dharma) is being attacked," he said.
"We should think about what Congress has given in (the last) five years. Has he (CM Baghel) opened any university in five years? In Assam, medical colleges have been set up in each district. There has been no basic transformation in the state (Chhattisgarh). Baghel does drama every time and he has opened a big market of religious conversion to weaken Sanatan Dharma," Sarma said.
Targeting the Congress, he mentioned that 75 years have passed since India gained independence, but it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who finally oversaw the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He asked why the Congress failed to build the temple all these years.
Assam CM on Rahul Gandhi
He also targeted Rahul Gandhi, stating that the Congress leader has never visited the Ram temple in Ayodhya. "Why didn't the PMs under the Congress rule at the Centre build Ram temple and waited for PM Modi ji (to do so)? It is because the Congress has no devotion for Lord Ram and its leaders always worshipped Babar," he said.
"I have never seen any Congress leader visiting the Ram temple in the last 3-4 years. Rahul Gandhi goes to temples during elections, but he doesn't go to the Ram mandir (in Ayodhya) as he is scared that people of Babar will get annoyed and abuse him," he added.
He criticised the Congress government in Chhattisgarh for its promise of waiving loans for farmers, highlighting that Congress had made the same promise in the previous election but did not fully deliver on it. "Why did farmers in the state have to take loans? It is because their children do not have jobs. The Baghel government should have worked to generate employment," he added.
Chhattisgarh Assembly elections
The polling in Chhattisgarh will take place in two phases. The first phase of polling for 20 seats in Chhattisgarh will take place on November 7, 2023. The remaining 70 seats in the state will go to polls on November 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 3. The tenure of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end on 3 January 2024.
In the last polls, the Congress won 68 of the total 90 assembly seats, while the BJP finished a distant second at 15. The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), founded by former CM late Ajit Jogi, bagged five seats and its ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won in two segments.
The BJP currently has 13 seats in the House, JCC(J) has 3 and the BSP has 2 seats. One seat is currently lying vacant. The Congress is aiming to win 75 seats in 2023 by riding high on the popularity of Baghel, who has a significant hold over OBC and rural voters, and the impact of the government's welfare schemes focused on farmers, tribals and the poor.
(With PTI inputs)
Also Read: Chhattisgarh Assembly Election 2023: Complete candidate list of Congress
