Political heat rises in Chhattisgarh as Congress, BJP clash over proposed Rural Employment reforms

Chhattisgarh’s political temperature rose sharply on Tuesday after the Congress announced a phased agitation against the proposed VB G Ram G framework, triggering a strong rebuttal from Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao.

Accusing the Opposition of indulging in politics over nomenclature, Sao said the Congress had lost its ideological moorings and was now confined to the interests of a single family.

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The controversy was sparked earlier in the day when Chhattisgarh Congress president Deepak Baij accused the BJP-led state government of failing to generate employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Baij questioned the moral authority of the Chief Minister to advocate changes to a law that guarantees employment, alleging that the Centre’s move to replace MGNREGA with VB G Ram G was aimed at weakening, and eventually dismantling, the scheme.

Baij claimed that since the BJP came to power, MGNREGA work had virtually come to a halt in large parts of the state, forcing labourers to migrate in search of livelihoods.

He further alleged that the Centre had altered the funding pattern from a fully centrally sponsored scheme to a 60:40 Centre–state sharing model, which would place an additional burden on states and further dilute implementation.

“During the Congress regime, nearly 18 crore person-days of work were generated annually. Over the past two years, the scheme has been pushed into an undeclared shutdown in more than 70 per cent of villages,” he said, demanding that the government release a detailed account of employment generated during its tenure.

Responding to the charges, Sao said VB G Ram G represented a reform aligned with contemporary needs and the vision of a developed India. “This initiative lays a strong foundation for the future by incorporating necessary changes suited to present-day challenges,” he said, rejecting allegations that it was designed to undermine workers’ rights.

The Deputy Chief Minister also welcomed the Governor’s assent to the Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill-II, calling it a key reform to simplify legal procedures and reduce unnecessary litigation. On the upcoming state budget, Sao said preparations were in the final stages and expressed confidence that it would provide a strong roadmap for building a developed Chhattisgarh.

With the Congress preparing street protests and the BJP-led state government standing firm on its policy stance, the debate over rural employment and welfare reforms is set to remain a central flashpoint in Chhattisgarh politics in the days ahead.