Raipur, Oct 16: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Chhattisgarh is on a solitary drive as no party has shown any keenness for an alliance with it.
‘We are not a vote cutter party. If any party is genuinely a vote cutter and could help someone in a multi-cornered contest, it is the AAP,’ Mr Amit Jogi, leader and a key strategist for Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC), told UNI.
JCC has taken Mayawati-led BSP and the Communist Party of India (CPI) as its allies in the two-phase polls on November 12 and November 20.
According to AAP sources, however, the party will contest all 90 seats and the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit is taking the battle seriously here.
But it is also a fact that AAP is left ‘isolated’ as no party has come forward for any kind of parleys or seat adjustment with them.
Congress leaders in political hubs like Bilaspur said AAP is here merely for making its presence felt but the party has no followers in the state.
JCC leader Amit Jogi further said: ‘I should not be talking about any other party. But we do not consider AAP a serious player here. Traditionally AAP, has never been a player in Chhattisgarh.’
Recently, senior leaders from Delhi toured the state and the AAP state unit has announced that its star campaigners will soon embark on the campaign trail.
Among others, AAP chief Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia and other leaders, including Gopal Rai, will campaign in the state.
According to AAP Chhattisgarh spokesman Uchit Sharma, party’s chief ministerial candidate Komal Hupendi and tribal leader Soni Sori will also campaign.
A team of legislators from Delhi assembly will also work specially to spread the message of “good works” done by the AAP government in Delhi, sources said.
Multi-cornered contests in many assembly segments in Chhattisgarh in the past have helped the BJP.
In 2008 – it was Mayawati’s BSP which polled 6.11 per cent of votes and thus help the saffron party retain its hold over Chhattisgarh. In 2008, the vote share difference between Congress (38.6) and BJP’s (40.33) was a near negligible 1.15 per cent. But the seat difference was 12 – with BJP winning 50 and Congress could walk away with only 38 seats.
Sources said in 2013 – the multi-cornered contests made it appear obvious as if all other smaller parties and individuals seemed to have conspired to defeat Congress.
The vote share difference was hardly 0.7 per cent – with Congress 40.3 and BJP’s share was 41. But the seat difference was 10 – Congress winning 39 and BJP – 49.
All other parties put together managed huge chunk of votes. These included – according to 2013 statistics – Independents (5.3), BSP (4.3), Chhattisgarh Swabhiman Manch (1.7), Gondavana Ganatantrik Party (1.6) and other parties 2.7.
In 2003, it was NCP which had damaged the Congress prospects in many seats and thus helped BJP form its first government in Chhattisgarh and never to look back.
UNI
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