Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh yesterday resumed 'Vikas Yatra', which he had suspended following the deadly Naxal attack on Congress convoy in May, from new venue of Arang development block in Raipur district.
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj flagged off the yatra in the evening and lauded Singh for launching various developmental initiatives in the last ten years.
The chief minister had launched the first phase of his Vikas Yatra from Dantewada in tribal-dominated Bastar in May to highlight the achievements of his government in the poll-bound state.
The Yatra was suspended on May 25 following the brutal Naxal attack on Congress leaders during their Parivartan Yatra in Jiram Valley of Bastar district.
Twenty-nine people -including former Union minister V C Shukla, state Congress president Nand Kumar Patel and veteran leader Mahendra Karma - were killed by Maoists in the ambush.
Raman Singh is seeking the popular mandate for third time.
On the occasion, the chief minister said the success of the state must be attributed to the common hardworking people.
"In the next five years, Chhattisgarh will become one of the few most developed states of the nation," he said.
The CM also inaugurated and laid foundation for 42 developmental works worth Rs 106.26 crore in Arang.
The works include residential colony to be constructed by Chhattisgarh Housing Board under 'Atal Vihaar Yojana', to benefit about 1,347 families.
Meanwhile, opposition Congress has accused the ruling BJP of splurging public money on the Yatra for the party's promotion ahead of the Assembly elections, which are due this year end.
"This is sheer misuse of public money. BJP was not supposed to take out any yatra by using government fund for its own projection ahead of elections," alleged state Congress spokesperson Shailesh Nitin Trivedi.
