Chhattisgarh Congress Vice President Ghanaram Sahu resigns from party; Expected to join BJP on Monday

Less than a day before the first phase of Chhattisgarh polls get underway, Congress has been hit with a major blow, with its state Vice President Ghanaram Sahu quitting the party with immediate effect. Sources have stated he will jump the ship and join BJP on Monday.

In a letter which has been exclusively accessed by Republic TV, Sahu has hit out at state's party President Bhupesh Baghel and OBC wing President Prez Tamra Dhwaj Sahu. It is reported that Ghanaram Sahu was unhappy with Dhwaj Sahu's anti-women approach, and has alleged that he is contesting election after taking the ticket of a woman worker.

This is the second major jolt to Congress within a day, after CPCC Working President and Pali-Tanakhar MLA Ramdayal Uike switched parties and joined BJP on Sunday in the presence of Amit Shah and state CM Raman Singh.

Chhattisgarh heads to elections on Monday, with voting to be held on 18 seats in the first phase. The second phase of the election will take place on November 20, and the result will be announced on December 11.

A lot has been said ahead of the crunching first phase of polls in Chhattisgarh. Both PM Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, along with leaders from their respective parties held rallies across the state in the past few days. While PM Modi attacked Congress over their silence on the Maoist attacks, the Congress President continued attacking BJP over the Rafale issue. 

READ: 'Maoists Primarily Targeting Congress Leaders', Says Ahmed Patel Hitting Back At BJP's 'Urban Naxals' Support Charge

During his rally in the Jagdalpur district of the state, PM Narendra Modi termed Maoists and Naxals as menace to the society while also claiming that some parties are helping Urban Naxals. On Friday, he said,

"Kids who should have had pencils in their hands, these people(Maoists) give guns in their hands. They ruin their lives and destroy the dreams of their parents. These people with destructive ideology burn schools and damage hospitals. You must have seen there are urban naxals who are living in cities in air conditioned houses, look cleans and their children live abroad but they ruined kids of rural areas. There are political parties who are helping urban naxals but giving gyaans in rural areas against Maoists. Can we forgive such poeple?"

As for Rahul Gandhi, during his rally in Kanker, he attacked BJP over the demonetisation, and hit out at state CM Raman Singh of failing on his promises. 

"CM Raman Singh and PM Modi promised jobs, but today nearly 60,000 teacher posts, 13,000 lecturer posts are vacant & 3000 Aadivasi schools were shut down. We will ensure that the govt vacancies are filled up."