Regarding border security, PM Modi and the head of the RSS disagree: Governor of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel

president Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS president Mohan Bhagwat of deceiving the nation on Wednesday, citing their differing positions on border security.

The chief minister of Chhattisgarh responded, “Our Vishwa Guru (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) claims that the borders of India are safe, while on the other side, Mohan Bhagwat states that external forces were behind the Manipur violence,” in response to a statement made by the chief of the Rashtriya Janata Samita. “They are making contradictory claims, so they should decide who is right,” Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said on Wednesday in Raipur.

If PM Modi’s assertion about border security were to be believed, he said, “how was it that external forces crossed over to incite trouble and violence in Manipur?”

“One would think Mohan Bhagwat wasn’t incorrect if he stated this. However, it would imply that the Vishwa Guru is telling lies. The chief minister of Chhattisgarh added, “They shouldn’t mislead the nation.”

CM Baghel went on to accuse the saffron party of attempting to win votes and money in the name of Lord Ram and said that the previous BJP administration did little to maintain or enhance the Kaushalya Mata temple.

The chief minister said, “These people (BJP) seek votes as well as notes in the name of Lord Ram,” and that because Lord Ram is central to most people’s religious beliefs in the state and the nation, the BJP should desist from running for office in his honor.

The Chattisgarh chief minister continued, mocking the BJP for its assertions on the opening of the Ram temple in Ayodhya by saying, “The temple is being raised on the order of the Supreme Court.” What part did the BJP play in this matter?

Regarding the state’s planned liquor ban, the chief minister said that he would want to press Prime Minister Narendra Modi to forbid the sale and use of alcohol nationwide as doing so would essentially make Chhattisgarh’s prohibition automatic.

On November 7, the first round of voting for Chhattisgarh’s twenty seats will take place.

The BJP has announced candidates for each of the state’s ninety seats in an effort to depose the Congress.

In the party’s first list of twenty-one candidates, Lok Sabha MP Vijay Baghel—a distant cousin of the chief minister—was entered to challenge him in the Patan assembky segment of Durg district.

There were sixty-four candidates on the second BJP list, while just one seat was on the third.

The names of all 90 of the candidates have also been announced by the Congress.

The remaining 70 seats in the state will have elections on November 17 after the first round of voting on November 7.

December 3 has been set aside for the counting of ballots, along with those from four additional states that will be going to the polls.

The BJP unveiled its roster of 40 celebrity candidates last week for the first round of state elections.