RAIPUR: The election campaign by the political parties has gathered steam in Chhattisgarh. The earlier bipolar politics of the state where the BJP was directly pitted against the Congress is expected to be diluted in at least twenty odd seats by the Jogi-led Janta Congress Chhattisgarh-J (JCC-J) - Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)-CPI coalition, cited as a strong third front contender in the poll fray.
However barring Jogi himself, there is an apparent quietness regarding what lies in store for his wife, Dr Renu, son Amit and daughter-in-law Richa even as the Chhattisgarh has already issued a notification on Tuesday for the filing of nominations for the first phase polls. It remains to be seen among the three who all would be contesting the upcoming polls, from which party and the constituency.
The 72-year-old bureaucrat-turned-politician though had earlier declared that he is keen to contest an election against the chief minister Raman Singh from Rajnandgaon seat. Unconfirmed report doing round in the state capital on the possibility of Richa may be asked to contest on the BSP ticket instead of Jogi's regional outfit JCC(J) from any of the constituency in the Bilaspur district.
Following the pre-poll alliance, Jogi's party will contest from 45 seats, the BSP on 35 of the 90 Assembly constituencies of Chhattisgarh and remaining two in Dantewada and Konta been shared with the CPI. Jogi has already announced the names of 45 candidates from the alliance quota of 53. Beside Jogi himself, his son Amit and Richa are aggressively into the party's campaign. Jogi's wife Renu, seeking a Congress ticket from her existing constituency Kota is yet to get that confirmation whether she will again be offered the opportunity.
Though Ajit Jogi wants the wife should join his party. "You know how difficult it is to convince a wife. I conveyed her my wishes and now it's upto her", Jogi told the Express. Renu, a two-time Congress MLA, might be given a chance by Jogi's party if Congress declines her a ticket this time. The Election Commission of India has allotted "Farmer Ploughing within square", as party symbol to JCC-J, which Jogi floated in June 2016.