Raipur: The opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh denied a ticket to former chief minister Ajit Jogi’s wife Dr Renu in its fifth and final list of candidates released on Thursday for the upcoming assembly elections, forcing her to make a switch to her husband's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh.
An ophthalmologist, Renu is a sitting MLA from the Kota constituency. She had won the seat thrice on a Congress ticket, including a by-election. The Congress instead opted to field Vibhor Singh from the seat.
Soon after the list was released, she wrote a letter to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, expressing grief over the decision to deny her a ticket. Calling herself a dedicated Congress worker, she said she had endured personal attacks after her husband left the party.
Ever since Ajit Jogi had quit the Congress two years ago and floated his own outfit, there had been intense speculation about Renu’s political future, but to the surprise of many, she asserted her full faith in the party repeatedly and again sought a ticket.
The Congress, however, has left her high and dry by not only not fielding her, but delaying the announcement about dropping her till Thursday, a day before the last day of filing nominations.
Speaking to the media, she said she would consult her supporters and would decide on the future course of action by Friday. Later in the day, she joined her husband’s party and is set to contest from the Kota seat.
One of the prominent families in Chhattisgarh politics, Jogi family till now is divided among Congress, Janata Congress Chhattisgarh and the BSP.
While JCC chief Ajit Jogi has announced he will not contest assembly polls, his daughter-in-law Richa has joined BSP and is contesting from Akaltara seat on the party’s ticket. Jogi’s son and the sitting Marwahi MLA Amit Jogi is expected to contest the polls on a JCC ticket.
Chhattisgarh will go to the polls in two phases – on November 12 and November 20 – and the results will be announced on December 11.
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