The family of Chhattisgarh's first Chief Minister, Ajit Jogi, is facing the formidable challenge of preserving his political legacy in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Three members of Ajit Jogi's family are contesting in the election as candidates of the regional party Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC).
Chhattisgarh was established in 2000 when it was separated from Madhya Pradesh. Ajit Jogi served as the first Chief Minister after the Congress won the state Assembly election at that time. However, he later parted ways with the Congress and established his own political party, the JCC. With Ajit Jogi's passing, his family members are now determined to carry on his political legacy.
The voting for the 90-member Assembly is scheduled to take place in two phases on November 7 and 17.
Amit Jogi, the son of Ajit Jogi, is running on a JCC ticket for the Patan Assembly seat, Renu Jogi (Ajit Jogi's wife) is contesting from the Kota Assembly constituency, and Richa Jogi (Ajit Jogi's daughter) is standing for election in the Akaltara Assembly constituency.
Since the death of the eminent politician Ajit Jogi, the political standing of the Jogi family has been on the decline, and the JCC's voter base is gradually diminishing. Currently, out of the three Jogi family members, only Renu Jogi is an MLA, and she is seeking re-election from the Kota constituency.
During the previous Assembly elections, the JCC secured five seats and garnered over 7.5 percent of the votes. However, in the by-elections held following the deaths of Ajit Jogi and Devvrat Singh, the JCC suffered defeats in both seats. Two other JCC MLAs, Dharamjit Singh and Pramod Sharma, left the party, leaving Renu Jogi as the sole representative from the family in the Kota constituency.
Political analysts believe that the Jogi family wields significant influence among the tribal population, and as a result, the JCC is seen as the third political front in the state, alongside the BJP and the Congress, who are in direct political competition.
The upcoming Assembly elections will be a rigorous political test that the Jogi family must confront to convey the message that they still maintain a robust support base among the people and remain politically relevant.
(With Agency Inputs)
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