AICC asks Jogi to provide some one’s name for Marwahi

     Raipur, November 2, 2008: Congress central leadership has asked former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi to provide his choice of name to be declared as the party candidate for Marwahi ST seat of Bilaspur district, PCC sources said.

     The AICC past mid night today released the name of 47 candidates, which included Dr Ranu Jogi as the candidate from her Kota seat, but surprisingly it was silent on who would be the party candidate from Marwahi.

     In fact, Jogi wanted to contest from his Marwahi (ST) seat, but party insiders claimed, if that was allowed, then a message would go that Jogi is the ultimate choice for Chief Ministership by AICC President Sonia Gandhi if Congress comes to power in November Assembly election.

     Secondly the Central government was having a thin majority in Lok Sabha and in such a condition it can not afford to face a humiliating situation of reducing to minority in a trail of strength as the Vajpayee government had earlier been toppled by a just one vote of Giridhar Gamang.

    In such a condition, Jogi wanted his son to replace him. But the central leadership was reportedly not agreed to that for many reasons as Jogi rivals have already handed over some documents to convince the Central leadership of the alleged involvement of junior Jogi in the sensational murder of NCP Treasurer Ram Avatar Jaggi just before the previous assembly polls in June 2003.

     The rivals had also claimed to have told the Central leadership that the junior Jogi was not a natural citizen of India and at the time of scrutiny there could be some problems for his contesting from Marwahi reserved seat.

    In such a condition Jogi had been asked to furnish a name of his choice to become party candidate and the former Chief Minister remain free to campaign in rest of the 89 seats, the party sources claimed.