Rajya Sabha MP fires up party cadre at Shaheed Smarak Bhavan, calls state government a "garbad engine"

Rajya Sabha MP and senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on Monday addressed a workers' conference in Raipur, rallying party cadres with a combative message: fight for the public's rights without fear, even if it means jail. The event, held at Shaheed Smarak Bhavan in the state capital, drew a large turnout of AAP office-bearers and grassroots workers from across Chhattisgarh.

"Garbad Engine" Jibe at BJP

Singh came out swinging against both the state and central governments. Dismissing the BJP's "double engine government" narrative, he said Chhattisgarh is instead running on a "garbad engine" — a broken, dysfunctional setup that has failed ordinary citizens. He accused the ruling dispensation of allowing the state's mineral wealth to be plundered while residents continue to suffer from inflation, unemployment, and a crumbling healthcare system.

Forests and natural resources, he alleged, are being handed over to big industrialists, leaving local communities with little to show for the state's rich endowments.

Schools Shut, Youth Adrift

On education, Singh alleged that the BJP government has shut thousands of schools, directly harming the prospects of children from poorer families. He contrasted this with AAP's record in Delhi, pointing to the transformation of government schools and the Mohalla Clinic model as examples of what political will can achieve. "Ten years of Arvind Kejriwal's work in Delhi has shown what governance for the people actually looks like," he said, urging workers to carry that message to every village and booth in the state.

He pressed cadres to focus on expanding the organisation at the grassroots level, calling booth-level strengthening critical ahead of future elections.

Congress Not Spared

Singh's attack was not limited to the BJP. He argued that voters in Chhattisgarh have grown disillusioned with both established parties. "The public is looking for a third option," he said, positioning AAP as that alternative. The party, he indicated, will step up its organisational drive across the state in the months ahead.

Solidarity With D.Ed Candidates

After the conference, Singh drove to a protest site near Mana-Tuta where D.Ed degree holders have been agitating for a considerable period, demanding regularisation of their jobs or recruitment. He spent time listening to their grievances and pledged his support.

Acknowledging that the candidates have persisted through harsh weather conditions, Singh said the state government cannot afford to keep ignoring their demands. He advised the protesters to form a delegation of five to ten members to formally engage with the government and added that he would raise their issue in Parliament if necessary.

Senior Leadership Present

The workers' conference was also attended by Chhattisgarh in-charge Mukesh Ahlawat, co-in-charges Saurabh Jha and Samar Kumar, acting state president Uttam Jaiswal, along with Abhishek Mishra, Devalal Nareti, state general secretary Wadood Alam, and chief spokesperson Suraj Upadhyay, among others.

The gathering signals a renewed push by AAP to build serious electoral infrastructure in Chhattisgarh, a state where the party has yet to make a significant dent but is clearly investing in long-term presence.