New Delhi: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said on Saturday that he has no aspirations to be part of national politics or be in any conversation regarding that. Speaking on the stage of ABP Ideas of India, the Congress leader said he is happy with what the party has offered.
"I have no interest in national politics. Party hai to Baghel hai, not the other way around. I will follow what party directs me," he said while speaking on "Farmer Power: Field of Dreams".
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel mentioned that there is no comparison when it comes to the Chhattisgarh development model against the Gujarat model, which the BJP highlighted while pitching Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
"Nobody is talking about the Gujarat model now. Yes, two great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel came out from Gujarat… But now four people have emerged from Gujarat focusing on 'kharid aur bech' (buying and selling). No one is talking about the Gujarat model," CM Baghel said.
At the start of the session, Baghel praised the state's innovative scheme Godhan Nyay Yojana, under which cow dung is bought by the state for Rs 2 per kilo.
"The nation was embroiled in the cow controversy and lynching reports were coming in. Nobody was really doing anything for these stray cattle. Lynching was political but the issue of cattle out on roads was not solved. That is why we started this scheme... Now people not only took care of the cattle but were also vigilant and provided them fodder as money could be made," he said.
Baghel blamed the Centre for not releasing funds like Central Excise and GST, which is due. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not able to handle the economy.
"The economy is not booming in PM Modi's rule. Actually, he has not been able to handle it. Privatisation is creeping in and the government's assets are being sold... But is the inflation coming down? Fuel prices have been going up after assembly election results… They are not asking for votes on developmental issues but only on emotional vulnerabilities. BJP as a party might be strengthening but the nation is weakening," he said.
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