In a rare debate, Baghel and Vijay Sharma spar over PM Awas Yojana in Chhattisgarh

In a rare instance of political one-upmanship, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel and incumbent Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Sharma held an open debate at the Raipur Press Club on the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in the State.

A format more commonly associated with Jawaharlal Nehru University’s presidential elections than with mainstream politics, the debate drew a packed hall of journalists and some spokespersons from either parties. Yet, for all the novelty of the setting and format, the charges and counter-charges were largely familiar, with both sides reiterating positions that had been heard before.

The crux of the debate was the action taken or lack thereof in their respective tenures — the Congress between 2018 and 2023 and the BJP from December 2023 till date — on the implementation of the central housing scheme for the poor.