RAIPUR: Renu Jogi, a Congress MLA for the last two terms appears keen to contest the upcoming Chhattisgarh Assembly elections on the party ticket but the regional outfit floated by her husband and former chief minister Ajit Jogi has led the Congress turning wary about her.
None of the Congress senior leaders willing to speak openly about her ambition citing that the party's screening committee will decide on the ticket allocation.
"It's not necessary the sitting MLAs always get the party ticket", the state Congress president Bhupesh Baghel without naming anyone said. Joni said that his party Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) was equally eager to offer her ticket and he earlier tried to convince her but couldn't succeed.
"Since Renu has already made up her mind he will not interfere in her decision. But we will surely field our candidate against her (Congress)", the 72-year-old-bureaucrat-turned-politician asserted. Jogi after quitting the Congress floated his regional party in June 2016, and recently was allotted a symbol by the Election Commission of India. The move of Jogi has ostensibly led the Congress top leadership began maintaining a distance from Renu Jogi and early this year she has been ousted from the post of party vice-president.
Of late, Renu, who represents Kota assembly seat in Bilaspur division, is often not seen attending important meetings of Congress party as she is either not being invited nor informed about major developments happening within the party. With Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) largely being managed by her husband, son Amit and daughter-in-law Richa, several Congress leaders were often heard questioning the 'allegiance' of Renu Jogi now towards the party she has been representing as the legislator for a decade.
However she remains unfazed. "I was and will remain with Congress and informed Jogi ji about my decision", she said. To a query if the Congress denies her ticket, she remarked, "Will wait and watch" further give a push to the lingering suspense. Kota has traditionally been the Congress stronghold and Jogi family takes credit for it.
But this time as many seven candidates have shown their readiness as an aspirants from Kota seat and submitted their application to the party.
Congress is striving hard to make a comeback in Chhattisgarh. The party however declared that it will not declare or project anyone as chief ministerial candidate and the electoral contest across the state would rely on 'collective leadership' of the party.