Chhattisgarh BJP to chalk out plans for 2023 poll

New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) Nearly 50 top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders from Chhattisgarh along with a few central leaders held a three-day long discussion over the 2023 Assembly polls in the state.

The infighting in the Congress in Chhattisgarh has given the BJP an opportunity to up the ante.

Chhattisgarh BJP is all set to launch its preparations for the Assembly polls with a 'Chintan Shivir' at Bastar starting Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the BJP said governance has come to a standstill in the state amid the ongoing power tussle within the ruling Congress.

Chhattisgarh BJP President Vishnu Deo Sai told IANS that the party has planned a 'Chintan Shivir' (brainstorming) session to discuss plans for the 2023 Assembly polls starting Tuesday.

"Chhattisgarh BJP leadership will be meeting at 'Chintan Shivir' to discuss and finalise the strategy to start preparations for the next state Assembly polls. Apart from plans for the forthcoming polls, ways to strengthen the organisation will be discussed at the meeting which would end on September 2. We will discuss what steps are needed to strengthen the organisation to win the next state Assembly polls," Sai said.

Nearly 50 Chhattisgarh BJP leaders, including MPs, MLAs, members of core group, state office bearers and senior leaders will be attending the meet to discuss the political situation in the state and strategise plans for the next state Assembly polls.

BJP National General Secretary (Organisation), BL Santhosh, is likely to attend this meeting.

Last week, the infighting between Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and senior minister T.S. Singh Deo came out in the open and Congress MLAs were paraded before the party's central leadership in the national capital.

Taking a dig at the ongoing infighting within the Congress, the Chhattisgarh BJP President said, "Chhattisgarh has been affected by the ongoing 'Kursi daura'(run for the Chief Minister's chair) within the Congress. Development has come to a standstill in the state due to the Congress leaders' (Bhagel and Deo) regular visit to New Delhi. They are more interested in gaining power than working for the people of Chhattisgarh."

With the 'Chintan Shivir', Chhattisgarh BJP unit will set its state Assembly poll plan in motion. The Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh will be held at the end of 2023. The BJP ruled the state for 15 years till 2018.

During the last Assembly polls in 2018, Congress formed the government in the state by dislodging the Raman Singh-led BJP government. In 2018, Congress won 70 Assembly seats in the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly while the BJP won only 14 seats. In many areas of the state, the BJP had failed to win a single Assembly seat.