2016, a politically eventful year for Chhattisgarh

2016 was a politically eventful year for Chhattisgarh with former chief minister Ajit Jogi parting ways from Congress and floating a new outfit while a prominent tribal leader of ruling BJP faced action for giving "anti- party" statements.
The state's politics suddenly turned stormy following a media report about a audio tape containing purported conversations betweenAjit Jogi, his son Amit, his 'associates' and Puneet Gupta -- son-in-law of Chief Minister Raman Singh, to allegedly "fix" the by-election to Antagarh assembly seat in 2014 to ensure a cakewalk to the BJP candidate.
The split in the ranks of the state's main Opposition Congress deepened after the audio tape row and the war of words between the two groups- one led by Ajit Jogi and his son Amit, and the other by incumbent state Congress president Bhupesh Baghel and Leader of Opposition T S Singh Deo gained momentum.

Taking a stern action,in January, Congress expelled Amit Jogi, MLA from Marwahi seat, from the party over the issue that further added fuel to the fire.
After his son's expulsion, Ajit Jogi intensified attack on his parent party leaders and announced to launch Janata Congress Chhattisgarh in June.
Jogi's sudden decision created a strong buzz right from Delhi to Raipur and led to speculation about its possible impact on the state's bipolar politics dominated by BJP and Congress in the 2018 assembly election.

Jogi also garnered support of few Congress leaders including RK Rai, an MLA from Gunderdehi seat.
However, in October, Rai was also suspended for anti-party activities and supporting Jogi's camp.

Likewise, BJP suspended its former MP Sohan Potai, from the primary membership of the party for reportedly giving statements against the leadership in public domain.
Besides, the Raman Singh government remained busy warding
off Opposition attack over alleged corruption issues.
While his son and MP from Rajnandgaon parliamentary seat Abhishek Singh faced charges of possessing offshore accounts, Congress also tried to corner the state government over AgustaWestland chopper deal alleging irregularities in the procurement.
The BJP, however, rejected the charges as "politically motivated and baseless".
Moreover, attack on AAP leader Soni Sori with black chemical by unidentified persons in Dantewada district in February also made news in 2016.

Controversies continued in state politics with the BJP government coming under attack from Oppositionover several issues including alleged farmers suicide, demand for higher bonus and minimum support price to farmers against their paddy and alleged deteriorating law-and-order situation particularly in Bastar.
The stories related to judiciary also hogged media attention in the state.
Chhattisgarh High Court suspended additional chief judicial magistrate, Raipur, AK Chaturvedi for his "grave misconduct" in April while the state government had dismissed Sukma district Chief Judicial Magistrate Prabhakar Gwal from service on recommendation of the court.
In a trivial incident, a man was arrested after his goat repeatedly ventured into the garden of a judge's bunglow and ate plants in Korea district in February.

Other stories that drew attention were death ofreligious leader-poet and former Madhya Pradesh minister Pawan Diwan (71) in March,Ranji trophy status accorded to Chhattisgarh and105-year-old Kunwar Bai (who was felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for building toilet by selling off her goats) of Dhamtari district chosen as 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' mascot.