Bhupesh Baghel a 'pre-paid' CM of Congress, his validity has ended: Amit Shah in Chhattisgarh

Amit Shah. Pic/PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is a 'pre-paid CM' of Congress and that the validity of his talk time has ended, reported news agency ANI.

The Union Home Minister alleged that Bhupesh Baghel has made Chhattisgarh the ATM of the Congress, reported ANI.

"If Baghel becomes the Chief Minister again, then thousands of crores of rupees will be withdrawn by swapping the 'pre-paid' cards daily," Amit Shah said while addressing Vijay Sankalp Maharally in the Pandariya Assembly constituency, reported ANI.

During his address, the minister urged the public to vote for Bhawna Bohra, the Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate from Pandariya in the November 7 (first phase) polls.

"When you all go to vote, do not vote to elect an MLA or a minister...Your vote shapes the future of Chhattisgarh...Your vote is to end Naxalism and make the Adivasi region a developed region," he said, reported ANI.

"Bhupesh Baghel is looting the people of Chhattisgarh. The person who wants to develop his politics cannot do the welfare of Chhattisgarh. That is why I say that he is a 'pre-paid CM' of Congress. Even by mistake, if Bhupesh Baghel becomes the Chief Minister again, then thousands of crores of rupees will be withdrawn by swapping the prepaid cards daily. If all this money goes to Delhi, then how will Chhattisgarh develop?" Shah added.

Sharpening his attack further, he said that the pre-paid CM's validity has now ended, reported ANI.

"This (pre-paid) CM, his validity was only this much, talking time was only this much. The way in which a pre-paid SIM card stops working when money gets over, in the same way, this CM's time will be over when money will end. He has done many scams in five years so that his time does not get over," Shah said further, reported ANI.

The elections for the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will be held in two phases, with the first phase of polling for 20 seats scheduled on November 7 and the remaining 70 seats to go for polling on November 17.

The counting of votes will be done on December 3.

Congress stormed to power in Chhattisgarh in the 2018 elections, winning 68 out of 90 seats. The party had a vote share of 43.9 per cent. BJP won 15 seats and had a vote share of 33.6 per cent.

(With inputs from ANI)