11-14-2008, 09:55 PM
<!--emo&:whistle--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/whistle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='whistle.gif' /><!--endemo--> Chhattisgarh (rice)s to the occasion before polls
Hemender Sharma / CNN-IBN
RICE POLITICS: In an election scarred by price rise, dole becomes a direct vote-catcher.
Simga (Chhattisgarh): In an election scarred by price rise, dole becomes a direct vote-catcher and the Chief Minister becomes the Santa Claus.
Exactly a year ago, Raman Singh understood that he would have to play the rice card. He offered rice at Rs 3 per kg to the poor. It's this price of rice which may buy BJP a victory in Chhattisgarh.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said, âThis state is the rice bowl and our schemes will make an impact. Whether it is our rice procurement policy or our scheme of giving rice at Rs 3 per kg, it has had an impact and it will help us in the elections."
In Chhattisgarh, it is auction time and the lowest bidder is likely to win. So, Congress made the counter offer of rice at Rs 2 a kg.
It couldn't have hoped to draw votes only on an anti-incumbency drive. So, the BJP surprised the Congress yet again by coming up with a fresh deal.
Its election manifesto pledges rice at Re 1 a kg. The common man however, is weighing his options.
âThe BJP has given rice at Rs 3 per kilo, let us see what they do in future. As far as the Congress is concerned they are still to be tested. Let's see what they do,â a resident of Simga, Rati Ram, said.
Chhattisgarh is one of the largest producers of rice in the country and the politics of the state has almost always revolved around rice. So both the Congress and BJP are competing to prove who will give rice at a lower price.
This time around the BJP, however, is in a slightly advantageous position as it has already delivered on providing rice at Rs 3 per kg.
Hemender Sharma / CNN-IBN
RICE POLITICS: In an election scarred by price rise, dole becomes a direct vote-catcher.
Simga (Chhattisgarh): In an election scarred by price rise, dole becomes a direct vote-catcher and the Chief Minister becomes the Santa Claus.
Exactly a year ago, Raman Singh understood that he would have to play the rice card. He offered rice at Rs 3 per kg to the poor. It's this price of rice which may buy BJP a victory in Chhattisgarh.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said, âThis state is the rice bowl and our schemes will make an impact. Whether it is our rice procurement policy or our scheme of giving rice at Rs 3 per kg, it has had an impact and it will help us in the elections."
In Chhattisgarh, it is auction time and the lowest bidder is likely to win. So, Congress made the counter offer of rice at Rs 2 a kg.
It couldn't have hoped to draw votes only on an anti-incumbency drive. So, the BJP surprised the Congress yet again by coming up with a fresh deal.
Its election manifesto pledges rice at Re 1 a kg. The common man however, is weighing his options.
âThe BJP has given rice at Rs 3 per kilo, let us see what they do in future. As far as the Congress is concerned they are still to be tested. Let's see what they do,â a resident of Simga, Rati Ram, said.
Chhattisgarh is one of the largest producers of rice in the country and the politics of the state has almost always revolved around rice. So both the Congress and BJP are competing to prove who will give rice at a lower price.
This time around the BJP, however, is in a slightly advantageous position as it has already delivered on providing rice at Rs 3 per kg.