Chhattisgarh polls: Ajit Jogi not to contest

Former chief minister Ajit Jogi will not contest the next month's Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh and instead focus on campaigning, his party said Friday.

Jogi is the chief ministerial candidate of the 'grand alliance' between his Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Communist Party of India (CPI). He had earlier announced that he will stand against Chief Minister Raman Singh from Rajanandgaon.

JCC(J) general secretary Abdul Hamid Hayat said that Jogi will not contest the election himself.

Senior leaders of JCC (J), BSP and CPI held a discussion Friday and decided that Jogi will need to concentrate on campaigning across the 90 Assembly seats, especially the 12 seats in Bastar division which will go to the polls in the first phase on November 12, he said.

Jogi, who heads the JCC(J), will campaign in Bastar region between October 20 and 24, addressing rallies in Konta and Dantewada on October 23, he said.

The party did not reveal who will replace Jogi as its candidate in Rajanandgaon.

The JCC (J) had earlier announced 46 candidates including Jogi. It will he contesting a total of 55 seats.

The BSP will be contesting 33 seats. It has agreed to give another two seats -- Sukma and Dantewada -- to the CPI.

Elections will be held in the state on November 12 and November 20.