Chhattisgarh CM to resume Vikas Yatra

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh will resume his Vikas Yatra Monday from the Congress-held Arang assembly seat in Raipur district.

Singh will address a series of meetings from his Vikas Rath at Arang, Nawapara, Abhanpur, Boriyakala and Mana. He will unveil development works totalling Rs.808 crore Monday in a bid to woo voters as the BJP eyes a third consecutive assembly poll victory.

The state elects a new 90-member state legislative assembly in November.

Raman Singh, who is heading the BJP government since 2003, began his 6,000-km Vikas Yatra May 6 from Maoist hotbed Dantewada. The yatra was scheduled to conclude June 20, but the journey was suspended May 25 after top state Congress leaders were killed in a deadly ambush by Maoists in Sukma district in Bastar region.

The yatra, considered a key indicator to gauge the mood of the voters ahead of the polls, was rescheduled to resume Aug 17 but was again put off as the BJP's Lok Sabha MP Dilip Singh Judeo, died Aug 14 and the state declared a three-day state mourning. Political analysts say that a massive change in the state's political arena has been recorded since the yatra was rolled out.

The main opposition Congress - which was looking stronger and formidable in the state till May - has now been weakened as state unit chief Nandkumar Patel, influential tribal leader Mahendra Karma and nine-time Congress MP and former union minister V.C. Shukla were killed in the May 25 ambush which even shook the state BJP.

Experts say that a major split in the state Congress is on the cards next month as former chief minister Ajit Jogi has gone on an offensive in recent weeks against several party colleagues who are strongly backed by the high-command.