Raipur: Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC), the fledgling regional party founded by late chief minister Ajit Jogi, on Friday dismissed the speculations on its merger either with Congress or BJP.
Talking to reporters here on the sidelines of the convention of party’s Raipur district rural workers, JCC president Amit Jogi said that there were rumours that his party would merge either with Congress or BJP.
“We have no plan to merge either with Congress or BJP. We will maintain our identity as a regional party to serve the interests of the state”, the JCC chief, son of late Mr Ajit Jogi, said.
He said that the state leaderships of the national parties were being dictated by Delhi (their Central leaderships) and hence, they have their limitations to serve the interests of the state.
But, a regional party has no such limitations and fights for the interests of the state, he added.
The Jogi junior said that it was a wrong decision by the party to go for electoral understanding with a national party like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the 2018 assembly polls in Chhattisgarh.
The alliance had fielded candidates in all the 90 assembly constituencies in the state in the last polls and won seven seats.
While JCC had secured five seats, the remaining two were bagged by its ally, BSP.
Four JCC MLAs have meanwhile quit the party.
Renu Jogi, widow of Ajit Jogi, is the lone MLA of JCC now.
The Jogi junior said that his party has decided to contest in the year-end assembly polls.
The party plans to declare its candidates after the release of candidates’ lists of Congress and BJP, the JCC chief said.
