Cong in Chhattisgarh preparing for mid-term polls

RAIPUR: Congress in Chhattisgarh is gearing up for mid-term Lok Sabha elections in the wake of persisting standoff between the Government and its Left allies over the Indo-US nuclear deal.

"We are apprehending that a mid-term poll can take place any time and keeping that in mind, we have began our preparation for an early Lok Sabha election," state PCC president, Charan Das Mahant, said here.

If there is an early election, Congress is prepared for it, he said, adding selection of candidates and other processes have already begun.

Efforts are also being made to reverse the 2004 Lok Sabha result, in which BJP won in the state, other top party leaders said.

A road map would be drafted for the possible polls in a meeting when AICC General Secretary in-charge of Chhattisgarh, Narayanasamy, will visit here next week to take stock of the situation, CPCC sources said.

Congress leaders are optimistic about the party's prospects in the event of snap polls after veteran leaders V C Shukla and Arvind Netam returned to the party fold.

Shukla-led NCP had garnered seven per cent votes in the 2003 assembly polls, forcing the then ruling Congress to sit in the Opposition.

Now that Shukla and noted tribal leader Netam are with Congress, it will have a positive effect on the party, the sources said, adding that efforts were on to put Shukla and his arch rival and former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi on one platform to send across a message of unity in the party.