Raipur, Aug 27 Rising inflation has made life difficult for the common man, and this is the reason why opposition parties are striving to turn inflation into a major issue against the BJP. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress is leaving no stone unturned to entice voters by launching a 'Mehangai Par Marham' campaign.
Chhattisgarh is one of the states where two elections are scheduled to take place within the coming year -- the first being the assembly polls and the second the Lok Sabha elections. Political parties have begun working on strategies to emerge victorious in both elections.
The Congress consistently highlights the spiralling inflation, and in the elections it is attempting to corner the BJP on this issue. Along with this, the Congress has implemented several schemes on the ground to alleviate the difficulties caused by inflation.
Looking at the current political issues in the state, the BJP is attacking the Congress, accusing it of increasing corruption and scams.
BJP state president Arun Sao alleges that the Congress made promises before coming to power that it has not fulfilled and has deceived the public. The promise of halving electricity bills was made by the Congress when it came to power, but it didn't happen. The BJP has also levelled allegations of corruption in various projects.
While the BJP continues to target the Congress, the Congress has already started strategising to strengthen its position in both the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. A series of meetings have also started.
At the national level, the Congress is attacking the Central government on the issue of inflation, while at the state level, it is searching for ways to deal with inflation.
The Congress Manifesto Committee constituted under the leadership of state minister Akbar Mohammad may announce a reduction in electricity bills by half. It could also promise gas subsidies and provide land for affordable housing. Moreover, the price of cow dung, which is currently Rs 2 per kg, could be increased to Rs 5 per kg.
Political analysts believe that both the Assembly and the Lok Sabha elections will be very interesting. Here, there will be a direct contest between the Central government and the state government. While the BJP is highlighting the welfare schemes for the poor by the Central government, the Congress is focusing on turning inflation and Chhattisgarh's pride into significant issues.
The Congress has also made an issue of the actions of the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department. Overall, the assembly elections to be held before the Lok Sabha polls are going to be of great importance for both the political parties.
Looking at the assembly's composition, in the 90-member House the Congress has 71 seats, the BJP has 13, Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) has three, Bahujan Samaj Party has two, while one seat is vacant.
In the Lok Sabha, out of the 11 seats in the state the BJP holds nine while the Congress has two MPs.
The upcoming assembly polls in Chhattisgarh and the Lok Sabha elections promise intriguing contests.
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