AAP is not Aam Aadmi Party but 'Khas Aadmi Party': Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel flays Gopal Italia for making casteist slur on PM Modi

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel flayed Aam Aadmi Party's Gujarat chief Gopal Italia for making casteist remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying Gujarat and the country will not tolerate it. The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister told ANI, "Gopal Italia made casteist remarks which Gujarat and the country will not tolerate. He commented about PM's mother. She is 100 years old and has nothing to do with politics. Congress condemns it. It will be BJP vs Congress in Gujarat" assembly polls.

CM Bhupesh Baghel further criticised the AAP saying, "They (AAP) are 'B' team of BJP. They go to Gujarat, Goa, and Uttarakhand to defeat Congress. Whatever they say but that is their goal. AAP is not Aam Aadmi Party but 'Khas Aadmi Party'."

Gopal Italia (AAP Gujarat chief) made casteist remarks which Gujarat & the country will not tolerate. He commented about PM's mother. She is 100 years old &has nothing to do with politics. Congress condemns it. It will be BJP vs Congress in Gujarat: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel pic.twitter.com/1tRpk0O2FL — ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) October 18, 2022

Earlier in the day on Monday, CM Bhupesh Baghel and Chhattisgarh Congress head Mohan Markam were among the party leaders who cast their votes at the state Congress office 'Rajiv Bhawan' in Raipur for electing the next president of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are in the fray for the post of the AICC chief.

Out of the total 307 Pradesh Congress Congress delegates eligible to cast their votes, 210 have so far exercised their franchise, Chhattisgarh party unit's communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla said.

Also read: 'Forced to quit AAP, offered CM seat': Sisodia's claim after CBI questioning

Talking to reporters after casting his vote, CM Baghel said there is internal democracy in the Congress, but in the BJP, only "two persons" elect the president of the party. The CM did not take any names.

Also read: CBI dismisses Sisodia's 'pressure to quit AAP' claims during interrogation

"When J P Nadda was re-elected as the BJP president, nobody knew about it (the election process). But in the Congress, a democratic process is being followed and an election is taking place for the post of the party chief," Baghel added.

Ahead of Diwali, CM Baghel launches procurement of Arhar, Moong, Urad at MSP

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday virtually launched procurement operations of Urad, Arhar, and Moong at Minimum Support Price (MSP) in 20 procurement centres across the state. The launch of procurement has come days before Diwali and is being seen as a gift to the farmers by the state government ahead of the festival. 

The move aims to encourage farmers to grow pulses and promote the cultivation of these crops in the state. Baghel said, "The procurement of these crops at support price will give a boost to the income of farmers. Farmers will now have the option and they will be able to sell Arhar, Moong and Urad crops wherever they get a higher price." 

Through Chhattisgarh State Co-operative Marketing Federation, Tur and Urad crops will be purchased at the minimum support price of Rs 6,600 per quintal and moong crop at Rs 7755 a quintal.Urad and Moong will be procured from October 17 to December 16 this year while Arhar will be procured from March 13, 2023, to May 12, 2023.

(With ANI Inputs)