Worried over Congress’ comeback, CM hits campaign trail in Maihar

BHOPAL: Concerned over the Congress’ comeback in Ratlam Lok Sabha bypoll and recent civic polls, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has hit the ground zero to garner support for the BJP ahead of Maihar assembly seat bypoll in Satna district even though the Election Commission is yet to announce the date for it.
Chouhan left for Satna on Monday noon and returned to the state capital on Tuesday evening.In the two days he spent in Satna, Chouhan addressed public meetings and attended ‘chaupal’ gatherings in villages to converse with farmers and school children. The chief minister announced development of Maihar into a smart city and said Rs 25 crore would be allocated for the purpose. Smart city concept would include door-to-door waste collection, power generation from waste products, installation of CCTV cameras in entire city, construction of drains, auditorium and beautification of the Vishnu Sagar lake at Maihar.
He also announced implementation of several schemes in Maihar constituency, including high schools in villages within a year and ‘nal-jal’ domestic piped water connections scheme. When farmers in several villages complained that they did not receive compensation for damaged crops, the chief minister wondered, “We have sent Rs 119 crore to Satna district to be disbursed as crop damage compensation. Have you not received the money?” He asked administrative and revenue officials about the delay in payment of compensation. He even warned that action will be taken against corrupt officials. In villages Oila and Jeetnagar, girl students welcomed him with candles in their hand. Chouhan conversed with school girls and asked if they had received text books from the school or had to purchase them. The students said they received the text books from school. “Who sent them to you?” the chief minister asked. To this, the girls answered, “You did”.
Sitting Congress MLA from Maihar constituency, Narayan Tripathi, shifted loyalties to the BJP earlier this year and resigned from the state Assembly, necessitating a bypoll. The date for bypoll will be announced anytime soon and Tripathi will now be the BJP candidate. Addressing a public meeting in Satna on Tuesday, Tripathi said in the presence of the chief minister, “Maihar will be a contest between the BJP and Ajay Singh”.
Ajay Singh is a senior Congress leader with influence in the Satna-Sidhi region of the state. The bypoll, thus, will be a fight for the BJP to regain its glory in the state.