The decimation of the Congress in the recent Assembly polls has prompted Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to get into election mode early.
From inaugurating the renovated 8th century Shivrinarayan temple on Sunday to planning a door-to-door campaign for feedback on the Congress government flagship scheme of Rajiv Gandhi Nyay Yojana, Mr. Baghel is trying to be battle ready almost 18 months ahead of Assembly elections in the State
In fact, the feedback could come as early as April 16 when the results of a high profile byelection to the Khairagarh Assembly seat is declared.
Ahead of Tuesday's polling, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had fielded heavyweights like Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister Prahlad Patel and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh to campaign for the Assembly seat. "Wherever Bhupesh Baghel went — Assam, U.P., Punjab — the Congress lost heavily," Mr. Chouhan said at an election rally.
Trying to counter such aggressive attempts by the BJP to wrest back the State that it ruled for an uninterrupted 15 years, Mr. Baghel seems to have taken a leaf out of his political rivals by mixing his politics with religious symbolism, focussing on traditional practices and welfare schemes.
Epic journey
Coinciding with Ram Navami, Mr. Baghel inaugurated the 8th century temple that is part of the Ram Van Gaman tourism circuit charting the path said to have been taken by Lord Ram during his 14-years in exile. The Baghel government had announced the circuit as part of a project to conserve and beautify the cultural heritage, traditions and relics of the Ramayana period in Chhattisgarh.
In the first phase of this project, nine sites associated with Lord Ram’s journey are being developed. These are Sitamarhi Harchauka (Korea district), Ramgarh (Sarguja), Shivrinarayan (Janjgir-Champa), Turturiya (Balodabazar), Chandkuri (Raipur), Rajim (Gariaband), Sihawa Saptarishi Ashram (Dhamtari), Jagdalpur (Bastar) and Ramaram (Sukma).
When the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh had organised a grand ceremony for the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya in August 2020, Mr. Baghel had announced plans to develop the Mata Kaushalya temple near Raipur.
"Why should Chhattisgarh be known only for mining or as a Naxal affected region? In every age, the State has made important contribution. Whether it was Bhagwan Ram who spent considerable time here or Lord Krishna or Arjun who came here, it has had a glorious past...," Mr. Baghel told reporters on Sunday.
Ensuring delivery
But beyond the politics of religious symbolism, the Congress government is also focussing on its flagship schemes like cash transfers to farmers, buying cow dung from them or providing subsidised food grains.
"The CM plans to go to every village to find out whether or not they are receiving the benefits properly," said a government official.
Another decision that the Congress would be banking on its recent announcement of reverting to the old pension scheme (OPS) that would benefit over three lakh State Government employees.
"We lost a lot of time in the fight between Mr. Baghel and T.S. Singhdeo over the issue of rotational chief ministership. Now, we have no time to waste if we don't want to lose the State," said a functionary of the All India Congress Committee.
