Three hours of grueling journey from Raipur through potholed roads takes us to the Pandi village in Saja constituency. Six-time MLA from Saja, Ravindra Choubey has come to this under-developed village after a long gap.
Leader of the opposition in Chhattisgarh assembly, Choubey is one of the probable candidates for chief ministership. Seventh time win can make his claim stronger if the Congress wins in the state.
Last time, Choubey managed to win by a small margin of about 5,000 votes but the contest looks even tougher this time. Labhchand Bafna of the BJP, who lost here in 2008, has emerged as a powerful candidate. People say he has recovered a lot of ground and is more accessible and friendly. Choubey suffers from anti-incumbency on local issues of development.
Walking through muddy and filthy lanes of Pandi village, dna caught up with him in one of the houses located in the village dominated by Sahu and Kurmi communities.
Choubey is confident of the Congress forming the government in Chhattisgarh. “The BJP will lose badly in Chhattisgarh for three reasons. Farmers are angry for not getting bonus promised for paddy, the BJP is turning its back on power subsidy it had promised and forcibly taking away agricultural land for industries. About 3 lakh hectares of land i.e. 4% of the total land has been diverted towards industry against wishes of the farmers in Korba, Raigarh, Jangir and Koriya,”says Choubey.
Belonging to the anti-Jogi camp, Choubey says claims that Jiliamari and Jiramghati incidents and lack of development in several areas are the other issues that will give the Congress and edge.
However, civic problems are in abundance in his constituency. Some residents of Pandi village blame Choubey for the lack of development.
As Choubey leaves, intense debate starts in the village. Some flock to us with complaints. “As an MLA he could have made a lot of difference here. But you can see the filthy conditions. Why do we choose him,” says a village youth.
Another youth retorts, “but he always does our personal work.” A village elder tries to soothe their tempers. “If you fight like this and end up breaking each other’s head then who will take you 20 kilometre away to the hospital,” he says.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}