Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday rode a motorcycle to lead the ruling Congress' 'Bharosa Yatra' in his assembly constituency in Durg district to propagate the works done by his government in the last five years.
Similar day-long Bharosa Yatras (march of trust) were also taken out in the remaining 89 assembly constituencies of the poll-bound state by the Congress to mark Gandhi Jayanti.
During the yatras, the Congress said, it apprised people about welfare schemes of the Baghel government and also told them how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) neglected the residents of the state during its 15-year rule (2003-2018).
Riding motorcycles, a large number of ruling party leaders and workers accompanied Bhupesh Baghel in the 40-km-long yatra kicked off from Selud village in the Patan assembly constituency in Durg district.
Addressing a gathering of workers at the launch of the yatra, Baghel hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his statement on paddy procurement in Chhattisgarh.
"The PM lied (during his recent rally in Bilaspur) to people that the Centre procured every single grain of paddy from farmers in the state. Who has opened paddy procurement centres? Who has decided to procure 20 quintal paddy per acre? All these works are being done by the state government," the chief minister said.
When there was a "double-engine" government in Chhattisgarh (2014-2018), with PM Modi and Raman Singh leading the central and state governments, respectively, they had decided to procure 10 quintal per acre from farmers in place of 15 quintal per acre, he said.
Bhupesh Baghel said his government has strengthened the local economy and transformed the lives of people.
"We have improved education, health and infrastructure in the last five years," he asserted.
Talking to reporters later, Mr Baghel said his party Congress has decided to observe a peaceful 'Bastar Bandh' (shutdown) on Wednesday in protest against the Centre's plan to privatise the newly commissioned Nagarnar Steel Plant of mining major NMDC in Bastar district.
Prime Minister Modi will dedicate the plant to the nation during his visit to Jagdalpur on Wednesday.
Baghel accused the opposition BJP of spreading rumours on alleged irregularities in recruitment by the state public service commission (PSC).
Earlier, state ministers, Congress MLAs and MPs took part in the yatras in their respective constituencies.
The assembly elections are expected to be held in the state in November-December.
The state government had in the last few months organised 'Bharose Ka Sammelan' (gathering of trust) at various places to connect with the masses. These events were also attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi.
Slogans like 'Bhupesh Hai To Bharosa hai' (if there is Bhupesh, we have trust) and 'Bharose Ki Sarkar' (government of trust) featured during these programmes.
The opposition BJP concluded its 'Parivartan Yatra' (March of Change) on Saturday (September 30) in Bilaspur city where Prime Minister Modi addressed a gathering.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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