Congress to retain power in Chhattisgarh, will bag 80 seats: Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], July 3 : Chhattisgarh Cabinet Minister Kawasi Lakhma on Monday said that the Congress party will bag over 80 seats out of the 90 seats in the state assembly.
The Chhattisgarh Commerce, Industries and Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma further took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying that the party will be "kicked out" in the same way as it was ousted from Karnataka.
Commenting on the proposed visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Chhattisgarh and other bigwigs here, Lakhma said "Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister held several campaigning in South India's biggest state, were showered with flowers and chanted 'Jai Bajrangbali', but what happened, Bajrangbali kicked out BJP. Here in the state, Bhupesh Baghel will become Chief Minister in the coming elections and the party will bag over 80 seats."
The minister further alleged that PM Modi does not visit the state until there are elections in the state.
"He is coming to Chhattisgarh; he should come but, he neither gave anything to the state in the last four years nor developed the region. We would have welcomed him if he (the PM) had visited the state four years ago but this is for the coming elections. Therefore, farmers, labourers and others are saying that Narendra Modi is coming here to only speak lies," he added.
He came down heavily on the Central government over several issues including inflation and said, "The youths are in favour of Bhupesh Baghel. Around 6 lakh people registered their presence in the programme of Rahul Gandhi in Telangana and joined Congress. People are joining Congress in Chhattisgarh as well. Lakhs of people got associated with Rahul Gandhi during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and this resulted in the victory of Congress in the state from where BJP national president Nadda comes and the majority population is Hindu (Himachal Pradesh).
He further said that the people of the nation want Rahul Gandhi to become Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"The public of Chhattisgarh has decided to make Bhupesh Baghel the Chief Minister in 2023 while the youths, as well as farmers of the country, have made up their minds to make Rahul Gandhi Prime Minister in 2024," stated Lakhma.
Accusing the BJP of being indulged in the politics of breaking parties, horse-trading and threatening MLAs, Lakhma further added, "They (BJP) levelled several allegations on Gandhi (Rahul Gandhi) and even subjected him to 55 hours-long interrogations but he was not afraid. Congress is the only party that will fight against BJP and register a victory in elections scheduled in all five states. The environment is in favour of the Gandhi family and Congress."
The minister further informed that around 31 people belonging to 'Gayatri Pariwar', who were loyal to BJP since childhood, from Sukma district joined Congress by getting impressed by the works done by Bhupesh Baghel-led government.