Chhattisgarh politics witnessed a rare and intense spectacle on Tuesday as former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma confronted each other directly on the stage at the Raipur Press Club over the contentious issue of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Accepting a public challenge thrown by the Deputy Commissioner, Bhupesh Baghel arrived at the venue to participate in the face-off. Spanning roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes, the discussion turned into a fierce battle of statistics, counter-claims, and political accusations between the two prominent leaders.
High Voltage Drama Outside the Press Club
The high-profile debate drew massive crowds and heavy security outside the Raipur Press Club from early morning, creating an atmosphere of intense political drama. Large groups of workers and leaders from both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party assembled near the venue. Tensions flared when police administration blocked Congress workers from entering the premises, leading to sharp verbal spats between the two sides. Supporters from both parties indulged in slogans and shoving matches outside, forcing police personnel to work hard to bring the situation under control.
Deputy Chief Minister Presents Government Statistics
Taking the floor during the discussion, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma reeled off official figures to assert that Chhattisgarh has set a national record by constructing the highest number of PM housing units in the financial year 2025-26. Sharma claimed that a total of 17.75 लाख housing units have been completed in the state with central assistance. He stated that the current government has spent 16000 crore rupees within its two-and-a-half-year tenure. Levelling charges against the previous administration, he alleged that during five years of Congress rule, financial approval of only 3900 crore rupees was granted and merely 3 lakh houses were completed, claiming the prior administration avoided accepting housing targets and portals simply because the Prime Minister's name was attached.
Former Chief Minister Refutes Claims as Statistical Trickery
Countering the government narrative, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel dismissed the figures as mere statistical jugglery. Baghel argued that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the central government withheld legitimate state funds and central portals remained shut. Despite these hurdles, he maintained that the Congress administration approved over 6 lakh houses and ensured the completion of lakhs of units during its term. He questioned the ruling party's claim of sanctioning over 46 लाख houses, pointing out that such a vast number of dwelling units do not even exist across Chhattisgarh.
Funding Structure and Acceptance of Electoral Verdict
Elaborating on the financial mechanism, Baghel explained that while older schemes like Indira Awas were fully funded by the Centre, current programs like the PM housing initiative operate on a 60-40 funding split between the Centre and the state, placing a heavy fiscal burden on state budgets. In a candid moment during the exchange, Baghel acknowledged that they did not build the required PM houses, which is why the public punished them with defeat at the polls. While Vijay Sharma defended the debate as a healthy democratic tradition to clear the air before the public, Bhupesh Baghel reiterated that if there were any shortcomings on their part, the electorate delivered its verdict through the ballot box.
