RAIPUR: The tribal caste certificate of Chhattisgarh’s first chief minister, Ajit Jogi, was cancelled by the Bilaspur collector on Monday. According to the Bilaspur district administration, the collector P Dayanand had simply executed the decision of a high-powered committee.
Jogi hails from Marwahi in Bilaspur. The bureaucrat-turned-politician who claimed to belong to the Kanwar tribe was earlier rejected by the high-powered committee constituted by the state government on the directive of the High court.
The move is likely to create an impact on his political activities as Ajit Jogi, who while nurturing his political ambitions, mostly kept his individuality focused as the tribal leader.
Though the former chief minister had declared to challenge it in the Supreme Court, political analysts believed the cancellation of his tribal status is not likely to affect his "acclaimed" mass following much but will certainly create political ripples and the issue could dominate the 2018 state Assembly elections.
Ajit Jogi has formed a new regional political outfit - Chhattisgarh Janta Congress (J), after quitting the Congress party.
“It’s a politically motivated decision taken owing to Ajit Jogi’s increasing popularity. This is not the final judgment. Jogi’s charisma is known by his calibre not by caste,” said Iqbal Ahmed Rizvi, chairman-media department Chhattisgarh Janta Congress (J).
The ruling BJP has ruled out a political component in the decision of the committee which was constituted following the directive of the Apex Court.