Friday, September 22 2006 11:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh is confident his government that assumed office in December 2003 will complete its full term of five years without any hassle.

Raman Singh's statement came against the backdrop of the fall of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in neighbouring Jharkhand last week.

"In Chhattisgarh, the BJP government will have a smooth run for the full five-year term. We will even retain power in the next polls due in late 2008," Raman Singh told IANS in an interview.

"Why have people started linking the BJP Government's fall in Jharkhand with the fate of the government here?" he asked.

"The BJP is in power on its own here while it was a coalition in Jharkhand," he said.

"There may be some differences among party leaders occasionally on certain issues or some individuals may have ambitions. But after all, the leaders are committed to development and I do not see any threat to the Government," he said.

Raman Singh said that he was reviewing the individual performance of his 12-member council of ministers (excluding himself) and portfolios would be reshuffled at the right time to tone up the government's functioning.

The ruling BJP is divided into various groups and sub-groups in the tribal-dominated state. Dozens of tribal leaders including several legislators have been saying that a tribal chief minister is needed to boost the party's prospects in the next elections.

The BJP has 52 MLAs, including 25 tribal legislators, in the 90-member state assembly.