Chhattisgarh: JCC (J) expels legislature party leader Dharmjeet Singh for six years

Leader of JCC (J) legislature party Dharmjeet Singh, who represents the Lormi assembly segment, has been expelled from the party for ignoring the interests of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities.

Raipur: The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) on Sunday expelled its legislature party leader, Dharmjeet Singh, from the party for six years for "ignoring" the interests of SC, ST, and OBC communities, a party leader said. In a letter to the Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Charan Das Mahant, JCC (J) national president and MLA Renu Jogi informed about the legislator's expulsion, he said.

The core committee of the party has taken a historic decision with regret. Leader of JCC (J) legislature party Singh, who represents the Lormi assembly segment, has been expelled from the party for a period of six years for ignoring the interests of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities and acting against the principles laid by founder of the party, the late Ajit Jogi, Renu Jogi stated in the letter.

Renu Jogi has been appointed as the leader of the JCC (J) legislature party in place of Singh. When contacted, Singh told PTI that he hasn't received the expulsion letter yet. Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi parted ways with Congress in 2016 and floated JCC (J), also known as Jogi Congress. He died in May 2020.

Late Ajit Jogi had appointed Singh as the leader of the legislature party expressing great faith in him. But for the last year, complaints were being received from Lormi that Singh had ignored the interest of people and sidelined party workers who belong to SC, ST, and OBC communities and gave importance to the people of a particular class, Ajit Joi's son and former MLA Amit Jogi said in a statement.

Singh has been in touch with other party leaders (apparently BJP) for his interest, he alleged. "The issue was discussed with him many times in the past but there was no change in his conduct and thoughts, he claimed. Amit Jogi also accused BJP of hatching a conspiracy to destroy regional parties in the country.

When contacted, Singh told PTI that he hasn't received the expulsion letter. He said he will talk to the media after receiving the letter. At present, the JCC (J) has 3 MLAs, including Singh, in the 90-members House. The ruling Congress has 71 MLAs, BJP 14, and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) 2.
In the 2018 assembly, the Ajit Jogi-led party had won five seats but it lost two of them in the bypolls held later. (PTI)