People become poorer under Congress rule: Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh

Ahead of the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, chief minister Raman Singh on Sunday slammed the Congress party and said that the Rahul Gandhi-led party has been saying "Gareebi hatao" for 70 years but hasn't been able to act on it. 

Singh said that people have become poorer under Congress rule, news agency ANI reported. Giving examples of state ruled by Congress, Singh added that the situation in Karnataka and Punjab shows how people have been poor, ANI reported. 

Chhattisgarh CM's comment comes on the day when campaigning for the second phase in the state. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaigned for the ruling party on the last day.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and BJP president Amit Shah had addressed rallies in the state on Saturday.

The BJP top brass targeted the Gandhi family during the campaign for the "misrule" of 50 years.

The Congress focussed on farmers' issues, promising loan waiver, bonus on paddy procurement and setting up of food processing units.

Rahul Gandhi also targeted Modi over the Rafale fighter jets deal and Chief Minister Raman Singh for the alleged PDS (Public Distribution System) and chit fund scams in the state.

A total of 1,101 candidates are in the fray in the second phase.
The list includes BJP ministers Brijmohan Agrawal (Raipur City South), Rajesh Munat (Raipur City West), Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur), Bhaiyyalal Rajwade (Baikunthpur), Ramsevak Paikra (Pratappur), Punnulal Mohile (Mungeli), Prem Prakash Pandey (Bhilai Nagar), Dayaldas Baghel (Nawagarh) and Ajay Chandrakar (Kurud) and state BJP president Dharamlal Kaushik (Bilha).

State Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel (Patan), Leader of Opposition in the Assembly T S Singh Deo (Ambikapur), Lok Sabha member from Durg Tamradhwaj Sahu (Durg Rural), former Union minister Charandas Mahant (Shakti) are among the key Congressmen whose fate will be decided in the second phase of polling.

Former chief minister Ajit Jogi, who has floated the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), is contesting from Marwahi, his wife Renu Jogi is in the fray from Kota while his daughter-in-law Richa Jogi is a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) nominee from the Akaltara seat in the second phase of polling.

The coalition between the Mayawati-led BSP, Jogi's JCC(J) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) has added a twist to the poll battle between the BJP and the Congress.
In the second phase, the highest number of 46 contestants are in the fray from the Raipur City South seat.

Of the 19 districts going to the polls on November 20, Gariaband, Dhamtari, Mahasamund, Kabirdham, Jashpur and Balrampur have some Naxal presence. Extra security would be provided in these areas, a senior police official said.

In the first phase, 76.28 per cent voting was registered.

The poll results will be declared on December 11.

(With PTI Inputs)