Cong strategists did not look beyond Bastar region: Raman

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today said the failure of Congress strategists to look beyond Bastar region led to its loss in other areas of the state.
BJP led by Singh won 49 seats in the recently concluded assembly elections. Congress could win only 39 seats in the 90-member assembly.
"It is a failure of Congress strategists. They were so involved in 18 seats (which went to polls in first phase on November 11), that they did not think of the 19th seat. Even Rahul Gandhi used to talk about 18 seats and he also did not talk about the 19th seat," Singh told reporters here.

He said Congress party leaders were so sure that nothing will happen in Chhattisgarh after Phase I.
"We had got the indication that we are going to face loss in the first phase. That's why, on other 72 seats (which went to polls on November 19), we put in our all efforts. I did a lot of public rallies. I used to do a lot of helicopter sorties. I attended eight public rallies in a day," he said.
Singh will be sworn in for the third time as Chief Minister here tomorrow.
61-year-old Singh said he would concentrate on good governance and more development work during his third tenure.