The Congress on Wednesday said the names of its candidates for the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections would be announced by this weekend and that the party had set a target of winning 75 seats out of 90.
Congress general secretary in-charge of Chhattisgarh Kumari Selja said the party will seek votes on the basis of the work done by its government in the state.
"The Congress party is fully prepared for the upcoming assembly elections. Today we are going among the people with our slogan – 'Bharosa Barkarar, Phir Se Congress Sarkar' (Trust maintained, Congress government again)," she said.
The election to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will take place in two phases on November 7 and 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 3, along with that of four other poll-going states.
Selja claimed that the promises made by party leader Rahul Gandhi to farmers, tribals and the poor in Chhattisgarh have been fulfilled by the Congress government there.
The Congress has ensured that every section of society is taken care of and has ensured their development, she said.
"The Narendra Modi government only talks about reservation for backward classes, but when it comes to giving them something it backs out. A bill to provide 76 per cent reservation to the oppressed sections of society, including dalits, tribals and backwards, was passed unanimously by the Chhattisgarh Assembly, but it is yet to get the approval of the governor," she claimed.
Selja said the Congress screening committee has met and the central election committee will meet soon, after which the party will declare its candidates.
"The names of the candidates will be announced in the next two to four days," she said.
"The Congress has set a target of winning 75 seats out of 90 based on our government's performance on all fronts during the past five years," she said, adding that the last time the Congress won 68 seats and the number later went up to 71 after bypolls.
She said the NITI Aayog's report is a testimony to the fact that 40 lakh people have come out of the poverty line in Chhattisgarh, against lakhs going below the poverty line across India under BJP rule.
"The BJP government gives catchy slogans about OBC but when it comes to giving something, it steps back. In Chhattisgarh, a bill was passed unanimously for 76 per cent reservation to different sections. BJP was also a party to this. The governor had said that she would sign the bill immediately, but the governor was changed. So, the bill is lying pending till date.
"We had proposed to give 27% reservation to OBCs, 32% to STs, 13% to SCs and 4% to EWS in the bill. But the BJP is not letting it to be implemented. It does not want that these sections should get their share in development. It just talks big but gives benefit to only its few cronies. The Chhattisgarh government has disbursed about Rs. 1.75 lakh crore among these needy sections of the society," the Congress general secretary claimed.
She also countered Prime Minister Modi's claim during his Chhattisgarh visit that the Centre was purchasing paddy in the state at Rs 2,640 per quintal and asked, "Why is the central government not giving the same amount in Gujarat and UP? Why paddy is purchased there at the rate of Rs 1,100 per quintal? When BJP tries to mislead people like this, people stop trusting them. The people of Chhattisgarh have faith in us."
