Chhattisgarh polls: Raman Singh touches Yogi's feet before filing papers

Raman Singh is BJP's longest-serving Chief Minister while Yogi (46) has been chief minister only a little over a year

Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Tuesday took the blessings of his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath, 20 years younger to him, by touching his feet before filing his nomination papers for contesting next month's assembly elections from the Rajnandgaon constituency.

Singh (66) performed a puja at his residence and welcomed Yogi Adityanath and touched his feet seeking his blessings. He again touched Yogi's feet after filing his nomination papers.

Singh is BJP's longest-serving Chief Minister while Yogi (46) has been chief minister only a little over a year.

Accompanied by his wife Veena and son Abhishek, Singh submitted his nomination papers to the Collector and District Magistrate Bhim Singh in the presence of Adityanath and other party leaders.

Singh, who is seeking his fourth consecutive term from Rajnandgaon, has been pitched against Congress' Karuna Shukla. Shukla, a niece of late Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had joined the Congress before 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

A close aide of Raman Singh told IANS that the chief minister has high regards for Adityanath, who is also the Mahant of Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur.

"This time too, we will form the government with the absolute majority and will be successful in completing Mission 65. Chhattisgarh election is important for the entire country," Singh told reporters.

The polls for the first phase would be held for 12 assembly constituencies in seven districts of Bastar division and six assembly constituencies in Rajnandgaon district.

Chhattisgarh will vote on November 12 and 20 while Madhya Pradesh will go for polls on November 28. Voting will be held in Rajasthan on December 7.