‘Guns no solution, have to mainstream tribals to counter the Maoist ideology’
RAIPUR: Bhupesh Baghel took charge of the Congress’s Chhattisgarh unit in 2014 after the party’s almost entire state leadership was wiped out in a Maoist attack in May 2013. He is credited with rebuilding the party over the next four years and helping it sweep the state elections by bagging 68 seats in the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly. Baghel spoke to
about his priorities and challenges after the Congress leader was on Sunday named as Chhattisgarh chief minister six days after the results of the elections held in November were declared. Edited excerpts:
Ritesh Mishra
What is your first priority as the chief minister?
Our first priority is to waive the farm loans as our [Congress] president Rahul Gandhi had promised in the campaign rallies. Secondly, to procure the paddy crops at an increased minimum support price as promised in the manifesto. We will ban outsourcing of the government jobs with a proper planning to facilitate more job creations. [The] Congress government will also work on a new development policy for the tribal people. We would also address all the issues of government employees including the police.
Will you be able to deliver on the loan waiver promise within the 10 days of the formation of your government as Rahul Gandhi had pledged in his campaign? Yes, we will. There is no issue. If any financial hurdle comes, we will deal it and the promises will be fulfilled.
What are infrastructural changes you are planning after the government formation?
We will discuss the changes after the government formation. Whatever we will do, it will be for the benefit of Chhattisgarh, not for a bunch
of people.
What will be your strategy for the Maoist-hit Bastar region? Human rights activists allege the tribals there are being killed in the name of anti-maoist operations...
We won 11 seats of the Bastar division... the only one seat we lost there was by a margin of just 2,000 votes. This suggests the tribals of Bastar have discarded the model of [former chief minister] Raman Singh. Now, we will look after things in Bastar with a different perspective. The Maoist menace is a political and economic problem, which the security forces alone cannot eradicate. If we deal with it as law and order problem, it can further expand. We have to create trust among the tribals of Bastar. We have to talk to them. You can kill a person with a gun but you cannot kill the ideology. We have to help tribals enter the mainstream to counter the Maoist ideology.
What do you think is the biggest reason for Raman Singh’s defeat?
In one sentence, I can say that the Raman Singh government lost the people’s trust. He failed to address the needs of farmers, peasants, and workers… hence the people voted against him. Massive corruption took place during his rule. All these things went against him and the people voted against the government.
How will you react to fears about vendetta politics and concerns about your style of functioning also within your party?
I believe in discipline and in the need to percolate a sense of discipline within the party in the state. As the state [Congress] president, I had to be little harsh and rigid. This was all for the party and the people of the state. As far as vendetta politics is concerned, I have neither done this and nor will do it. I have said this earlier that my first aim is to work for the farmers …If I had been about vendetta politics, I would have said that I will get everything about Raman Singh and his son investigated. But I came to politics not to take revenge...but to work for the people and society. …rumours were spread because I fought directly against the people involved in scams and corruption… A person, who has done nothing wrong, will never say anything against me.
What is your strategy for the parliamentary elections due next year?
We will deliver what we have promised. The strategy, which we had made for the assembly election, will be implemented in the Lok Sabha polls too… We believe that we will win all 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh.