Raipur: Almost six months after the death of Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) chief Ajit Jogi, his wife and MLA Renu Jogi took over the party’s reins on Wednesday.
Renu Jogi, a legislator from Kota constituency, was elected as JCC (J) president during a meeting held here, her son and the party’s state unit chief Amit Jogi said in a statement.
Besides, 21 members of the party’s core committee, as many members of `Margdarshak Mandal’ and 15 permanent invitee members alongwith 186 state office-bearers were also nominated, he said.
A re-organization of the party was felt to be necessary post the Marwahi assembly byelection, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Renu Jogi accused the ruling Congress of “insulting” her family.
“On this day we all make a collective resolve that we will fulfill the dreams of late Ajit Jogi by forming a government of `Chhattisgarhiya’ (the people of Chhattisgarh) in 2023 in the state,” she said.
Ajit Jogi, who served as the first chief minister of the state, quit the Congress in 2016 and floated Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) after he and his son got embroiled in a controversy over alleged fixing of the 2014 by-election to Antagarh seat in Kanker district.
In 2018, the JCC (J) and Bahujan Samaj Party contested the assembly poll in alliance but won only five and two seats, respectively.
Ajit Jogi, who had won his traditional Marwahi seat in 2018, died on May 29 this year.
In byelection held earlier this month, no JCC (J) candidate was in the fray as nomination papers of Amit Jogi and his wife Richa Jogi were rejected after their caste certificates were held as invalid.
The party suffered another jolt when its MLAs Devvrat Singh and Pramod Sharma openly supported the Congress candidate in the bypoll. The Congress won the byelection.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Amit Jogi also announced that a signature campaign will be launched seeking resignations of these two legislators in their constituencies.
