Jogi makes comeback, to battle V.C. Shukla in Chhattisgarh

Disgraced former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi has bounced back with the Congress party deciding to lift his suspension and placing his political career on a make-or-break platform.

Jogi, who was suspended from the party after being involved in the cash-on-tape scandal when he tried to split the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by offering money to some BJP leaders in his home state in December last year, will contest the Mahasamund Lok Sabha seat of Chhattisgarh.

He will take on veteran leader Vidya Charan Shukla of the BJP in a battle that is fraught with considerable repercussions for Jogi. While a victory will put his derailed political career back on track, defeat may push him to political oblivion.

Soon after a formal announcement in this regard was made last evening by the party's central leadership, a beaming Jogi said that he will abide by the party's decision and shoulder whatever responsibility is given to him.

"He deserved to be asked to take on Shukla. After all, he forced Shukla to leave the party in the first place. Shukla took his revenge by ensuring we failed to retain power in Chhattisgarh.

They can now settle their scores," a senior Congress leader said about decision to field Jogi from Mahasamund. Former chief minister of undivided Madhya Pradesh, Shyama Charan Shukla, vacated the Mahasamund seat for his younger brother and opting to contest the Raipur Lok Sabha seat.

V.C. Shukla's desire to contest the Mahasamund seat was conditionally accepted by the state's ruling BJP. He was asked to join the BJP. Although Mahasamund seat may be a traditional Congress seat, Congress party circles agree that the party has been winning this seat mainly due to loyalty of the voters to the Shukla family.

The announcement about lifting Jogi's suspension and his candidature from Mahasamund was made after the Congress party had released another list of 61 candidates for the ensuing general elections.

Yesterday's list finally ended speculation over the possibility of party chief Sonia Gandhi's daughter Priyanka contesting polls from Karnataka's Bellary seat. Sonia had won both Bellary and Amethi seat of Uttar Pradesh in 1999 and had decided to resign from Bellary.

Sonia has since shifted to neighbouring Rae Bareily seat making room for her son Rahul Gandhi to make his political debut. Capt. Satish Sharma, a close family friend, has now been asked to contest the Sultanpur seat of Uttar Pradesh, won by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 1999.

Sharma had vacated Amethi seat for Sonia in 1999, shifting to Rae Barely. Congress circles say the bait for voters in Sultanpur is that is they elect Sharma, Priyanka may contest this seat in future.

Meanwhile, there is reason for veteran leader Balram Jakhar to feel left out. His name does not figure as candidate from his traditional Sikar seat of Rajasthan.