RAIPUR: With the Assembly elections due this year, a battle of yatras has begun in Chhattisgarh. While the BJP government launched a ‘Vikas Yatra’ from the Maoist-affected Dantewada district on Saturday, the Congress plans to counter it with ‘Vikas Khojo Yatra’.
The BJP yatra led by CM Raman Singh was flagged-off by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who highlighted the accomplishments of Raman’s 15- year rule in the state. The Vikas Yatra will be carried out in two phases during which the CM will address around 90 public meetings and conduct 16 road shows across the 62 Assembly segments. “The objective is to create awareness among the masses about the development and achievements of the government, besides the welfare schemes meant for the people,” the CM said.
The Opposition claimed its ‘Vikas Khojo Yatra’ was intended to oppose and expose the claims, records and performance of the Raman Singh government. Congress state president Bhupesh Baghel said: “There is no truth in vikas (development), as claimed by the Raman Singh government. It’s nothing more than a fiction.” Singh retorted that the people know well what ‘vikas’ is. “The Congress should better call Rahul Gandhi to visit Rajnandgaon and compare it with the development of Amethi.”