"Bhupesh Baghel's candidature from Rajnandgaon has made BJP's victory easier": Chhattisgarh CM Sai

"Bharatiya Janata Party has always been winning Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat and Congress has made this election even easier by making Bhupesh Baghel its candidate from here. He's a tainted face whom the people of Chhattisgarh have rejected in the 2023 assembly elections," Sai told ANI.

"Because the Congress party has made Bhupesh Baghel the candidate for the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat, it has become very easy for us to fight for Lok Sabha and we are winning the Rajnandgaon seat with huge votes, " he added.

Backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent remarks targeting Congress, over "redistribution of wealth to infiltrators," Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday said that the Prime Minister is doing great by bringing such statements in the public.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rajasthan poll speech said, 'When there was a UPA government in the country and Manmohan Singh was the prime minister, he gave a statement that minorities will have first right on the resources of the country. I condemn this statement as besides the minority, there are many people in the country who live, like SC/ ST and everyone worries about the development of the country. So, everyone has the right to the resources of the country'.

So, the statement of the then prime minister is completely wrong and the statement regularises towards communalism and prime minister is doing great by bringing such a statement in front of the country and I want to thank him for it, Sai added.

When asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claim of BJP not winning more than 150 seats, he said, "The way our prime minister has been working towards 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwaas aur Sabka Prayas' for the past 10 years, and has been taking care of all villagers, poor, farmers and labourers day and night, the faith of people of our country has been increased in our prime minister, so I can certainly say that this time we will get more than 400 seats".

"Rahul Gandhi says that we won't get more than 150 seats, this he used to say during 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections as well. So there is no substance in what he is saying. He can continue speaking like that. BJP's number increased in 2019 compared to 2014 and this time in 2024 elections, it will increase even more,"he added.

When asked about Congress leader's comment on 'South se saaf and will be North se half' for BJP, he stated, 'As I said what Rahul Gandhi has said, the same Sachin Pilot is also saying. They keep on saying such things, but it doesn't matter. In 2014 and 2019, BJP had a clear victory and in 2024, we will get people's blessing this time as well".

The BJP, which has a stronghold in Chhattisgarh, won 9 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha, while the Indian National Congress (INC) was limited to only 2 seats.

The rest of the seats in the state will vote on April 26 and May 7.

The counting of votes will be done on June 4. (ANI)