Raman Singh was not supposed to be Chhattisgarh Chief Minister. When Congress lost the 2003 elections, it was former Union minister Dilip Singh Judeo who was to replace Ajit Jogi. But he was caught on camera, taking bundles of cash and immortalising the lines- “Paisa Khuda to nahin, par Khuda ki kasam Khuda se kam bhi nahin.”
So despite leading BJP to victory, Judeo had to step back and watch Raman Singh occupy the CM’s chair. There has been no looking back since for the 61-year-old Ayurvedic doctor. It took him several years to emerge from the shadow of seniors like Judeo, Ramesh Bais and Karuna Shukla, but now that he has, he seems set to stay.
When he became CM, Raman Singh was non-controversial, and still is. He started a number of welfare schemes including health insurance cards for all families, cycles and sewing machines and labour kits for workers, bonus for farmers, and a ‘leakage-free’ public distribution system (PDS). He is popularly and mockingly, depending on who is saying it, called ‘Chaur (Rice) waale baba’ for his 35kg rice at Rs 2 per kilo scheme for the poor.
“His strength lies in his clean image. He is not arrogant. His welfare schemes have benefited close to 45 lakh tribal families,” claimed Ramesh Nayyar, who heads Chhattisgarh Hindi Academy, Raipur.
Raman Singh’s biggest threat is from senior party leaders like former Union minister and five-time MP from Raipur, Ramesh Baish, who too staked his claim for the post of CM in 2003. Popular tribal leader and Surguja MP Nandkumar Sai and Brijmohan Agarwal, who is a minister in his cabinet, are known detractors. But he has the RSS firmly on his side.
However, not all is well with his ministers. There is a strong anti-incumbency wave against ministers and MLAs. Charges of corruption abound. Even BJP workers have professed hatred for some senior cabinet colleagues of Raman Singh.