Raman Singh's Mr Clean image boosts BJP

Raipur: The 'Mr Clean' image of the incumbent Chief Minister Raman Singh has done the trick for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as it regained the power in the state in the assembly elections, on Monday.

Celebrations broke out here at BJP state headquarters, Ekatm Parisar, yesterday afternoon after initially it looked as if the BJP would fall short of the magic figure of 46 required for a simple majority in the state assembly.

The Congress finally faltered in the race as its six seniors - state Congress president Dhanendra Sahu, working president Satyanarayan Sharma, Leader of the Opposition Mahendra Karma, deputy leader of the opposition Bhupesh Baghel and Arun Vora, son of Congress veteran Motilal Vora - suffered poll shocks.

Political analysts largely credit the BJP's victory to Raman Singh's 'Mr Clean image' and the Rs8.37 billion (Dh600 million) rice scheme, a brainchild of Singh, launched early this year to provide 35kg rice per month to 3.5 million poor families at Rs3 per kg.

Singh summed up the BJP's victory as "peoples' approval of the BJP government schemes and development plans."

A jubilant Singh, 56, told the media: "My main priority is to maintain flow of development in the state and ensure peace."

But Congress spokesman Ramesh Varlyani said: "It's time for the party to introspect with an open mind and heart."

Political analyst Anil Vibhakar commented: "The clean image of Raman Singh and serious factionalism in Congress saved the BJP from poll blushes."

The BJP's newly elected legislators will hold a meeting here today, to formally elect Raman Singh as leader of the BJP legislature party.