RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh's regional outfit Janta Congress Chhattisgarh-J (JCC-J) expelled its senior MLA Dharamjeet Singh from the party for six years for his alleged indulging in anti-party activities and proximity to the opposition BJP in the state. The party that won five seats in the 2018 Assembly polls is now left with only two MLAs.
JCC-J was floated by ex-chief minister Ajit Jogi in 2016 to revive himself politically after being marginalised within his own (Congress) party then. Now with the exit of the senior MLA, the party remains with only two, out of which legislator Pramod Sharma has come out strongly in support of Dharamjeet Singh challenging the JCC-J to expel him too. JCC-J had lost two seats in the Assembly by-polls of Marwahi and Khairagarh.
“It seems Amit Jogi takes decisions sitting in the bathroom. Let him take action against me too”, JCC-J MLA Sharma, expressing resentment against his own party chief, said.
After the decision taken by the core committee of the JCC-J, the national party president Dr Renu Jogi and state president Amit Jogi handed over a letter to the Assembly speaker Charandas Mahant conveying the expulsion of Singh from the party.
“Dharamjeet Singh grossly violated the party’s principles and on various occasions found acting against the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Most Backward Classes. He has been neglecting the party workers and gave priority to his personal interest”, said the JCC-J release that further accused the BJP of conspiring to finish the regional parties.
Singh, a four-time MLA from Lormi assembly constituency, said that he has been doing politics for more years than the age of Amit Jogi. He countered the allegations levelled against him by the core committee of JCC-J as “absolutely baseless” and expressed fear for his life.
“What the BJP has to do with the party which apparently seems to be in shambles!”, stated the BJP leaders.
On the remark given by Dharmjeet Singh citing Amit Jogi having crossed all limits of decency, the latter stated that Dharamjeet moves were akin to becoming the Eknath Shinde of Chhattisgarh as he compromised his regional self-esteem.