Year after poll mauling and facing uncertain future, Ajit Jogi-founded party seeks Cong merger

Raipur, Dec 19 (PTI) Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) national president and wife of former chief minister late Ajit Jogi, Renu Jogi, has sought merger of her party with the main opposition Congress in the BJP-ruled state.

The regional party, formed by Ajit Jogi eight years ago, said it believes in the Congress ideology.

"We have requested state Congress president Dipak Baij to merge the JCC (J) with it and induct our party leaders and workers into the grand-old party," Renu Jogi told PTI on Thursday.

A letter signed by Renu Jogi and her son Amit, state president of the JCC (J), to Baij stated, "The only recognized regional party of Chhattisgarh "Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J)" formed by the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, late Ajit Jogi, believes in the Congress ideology. Our party's core committee has unanimously decided to merge the party with the Congress and join the state Congress unit".

"So, please accept our humble request and induct us into the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee", the letter added.

Ajit Jogi, the first CM of Chhattisgarh, had founded the JCC(J), also known as the Jogi Congress, in June 2016 after parting ways with the Congress.

The JCC (J) contested the 2018 assembly elections in an alliance with Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The Jogi-Mayawati combine won seven seats, including five by the JCC (J).

Once a formidable Congress leader in Chhattisgarh, which came into existence in November 2000, Ajit Jogi, a bureaucrat-turned-politician, died in May 2020.

After creditable poll performance in 2018 in a state with bipolar politics, the regional party's electoral fortune dwindled five years later.

In the 2023 assembly elections, the JCC (J) contested alone and drew a blank. PTI TKP RSY