Centre didn't play any role in bringing down Naxal menace in Chhattisgarh, our Govt.'s policy helped curb it: CM Baghel

Chhattisgarh CM Baghel said Congress’ high command will decide whether he would continue to be the CM or not if the Congress retains power in the State after the next month’s Assembly elections

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said the BJP-led Centre did not play any role in curbing Naxalism in the State as incidents of Naxal violence were on the rise under the party's "double engine" government between 2014 and 2018, and asserted that his dispensation's three-pronged strategy of development, trust and security resulted in pushing Maoists on backfoot.

In an interview to PTI, Mr. Baghel also said his party's high command will decide whether he would continue to be the CM or not if the Congress retains power in the State after the next month's Assembly elections.

Congress is striving to retain power in Chhattisgarh for the second straight term in the two-phased elections to be held on November 7 and 17, riding high on the popularity of Mr. Baghel, who has a significant hold over the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and rural voters, and the government's welfare schemes focused on farmers, tribals and the poor.

Also read | All candidates selected in a professional manner; no settling of personal scores: Chhattisgarh Dy CM T.S. Singh Deo

Refuting charges of scams being levelled by the BJP against his government, the Chief Minister termed the allegations as a conspiracy to defame his dispensation and accused the Centre of trying to influence elections using central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax department.

"Between 2014 and 2018, there was a double engine government in Chhattisgarh [referring to BJP government under Raman Singh] during which the Naxal-related incidents increased. After the Congress was elected to power [in 2018], it implemented a strategy of development, trust and security that resulted in pushing Naxalites on the backfoot. BJP has no role in it. They are the ones who provoke. Manipur is burning but they are not going there," Baghel said.

His statement comes days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Congress of encouraging Naxalism and said incidents of Naxal violence have come down by 52% in the nine-year rule of the Modi government, and promised to free Chhattisgarh of the menace if the BJP is voted to power.