Winning prospects and young age, mantra for ticket allotment: Raman Singh, BJP, Young Voters, cast wise voters, Candidates Names, Ticket allotment.

Winning prospects and young age, mantra for ticket allotment: Raman Singh.

RAIPUR: Expressing confidence that the BJP would make a hat-trick in the ensuing assembly elections, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said on Monday that the sole criteria for the allotment of tickets was the winability of the candidates and those dropped didn't fit in it.

In an exclusive chat with TOI on phone, the chief minister also disclosed that more women will find place in the remaining 23 seats that are to be announced and their total tally would go higher than the present 10%. In the first list of 67 candidates announced yesterday, the BJP has allotted tickets to only six women.

Raman Singh said that another criteria for the selection of the candidates this time was the age factor. "The youth constitute the largest number of voters (60%) so giving maximum representation to them is only logical", he said adding that the party, through independent agencies, had carried out several ground level surveys and the "best candidates" were chosen.

The first list of 67 candidates includes 34 youths (less than 40 years of age) and Dr Singh said more would find place in the second list. "We will have a younger government next time", he said.

Reiterating that there was no anti-incumbency against his government, the chief minister said some sitting MLAs had lost ground and thus were changed. "The anti-incumbency is not there against the government but some candidates suffered from it individually", he said adding that his government had fulfilled all the promises made by it to the general public.

Replying to a question, the chief minister said the party's main election plank was its performance in the state in the past 10 years. "We have tried to work and succeeded in uplifting and providing relief to all sections of the society. "Be it the farmers, the poor, the down trodden, the backwards, the small or the big businessmen and the common man, our government's welfare schemes have targeted everyone in the society", he said adding that his government's achievements were unparalleled.

Maintaining that his government had not only taken lead in enacting and implemented food security laws, Dr Singh said, "we went a step further by including nutritional security also". He said similarly his government, unlike in any other state, had been making on the spot cash payment of MSP to farmers, besides giving them a bonus of Rs 270.

When asked if he too would make a hattrick as a chief minister if his party were voted to power, Dr Singh said the party would decide this. "I do not work for any posts," he said.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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