Chhattisgarh CM Baghel hints a big 'LPG' surprise in Cong poll manifesto

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday hinted at several surprises in the Congress party's poll manifesto, including the promise of providing LPG to every household at Rs 500.

"Rajasthan has given LPG at Rs 500. Something needs to be kept for the announcement and if everything will be done now then what would be for the announcement (referring to the poll promise)," Bhupesh Baghel said.

"When our committee will be constituted (for drafting the election manifesto), all the things will come into it and then will see what it is comprised of," the Chief Minister said when asked for his response about any plans of providing LPG at Rs 500 in Chhattisgarh.

Lashing out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over its promise of free electricity, Baghel said, "Electricity is free in Delhi and recently its tariff has been increased by 10 per cent. So for whom was this hike in prices done? This means the entire Delhi is not getting the free electricity and few people are getting it."

Comparing the situation in Chhattisgarh, Baghel said, "Here 42 lakh families are receiving half electricity bill upto the consumption of 400 units. So far the state government has given the subsidy to the tune of around Rs 3700 crore."

Hitting out at Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, he said, "Punjab CM is claiming about giving electricity for 8 hours but here the supply is 24 hours. So if the supply of electricity is an achievement for them, will they reduce it to 8 hours from 24 hours after coming here."

Taking on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on the welfare schemes (often termed as freebies by political opponents), Baghel said, "I have heard about the six freebies of Arvind Kejriwal. But Awami Atmanand School, Haat Baazar, mobile medical unit in slum areas, free treatment, half electricity bill scheme and other schemes already exist here."

Chief Minister Baghel also accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of "doing politics" at the time of the pandemic while people were suffering.

"During scarcity of oxygen (at the time of pandemic), Chhattisgarh has not just ensured adequate supply of oxygen in the state, instead it provided the oxygen to neighbouring states including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan as per their demand, but Kejriwal was busy in doing politics and never approached for Oxygen. Chhattisgarh had sent the Oxygen to AIIMS Delhi following the request of Priyanka Gandhi," Baghel alleged.