The high-voltage campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while the Congress campaign in the state was led by its National president Rahul Gandhi. The Congress centered its campaign around attacking Chief Minister Raman Singh‘s government failure on over issues of corruption and farmer distress in the state. The Bhartiya Janta Party led by Raman Singh has been in power in the state since 2003.
Being the bipolar state, this time around the state is witnessing a three-way contest with the ruling BJP trying to retain power as principal opposition Congress and an alliance by Ajit Jogi and Mayawati‘s BSP in attacking mode to gain some momentum in some seats with a high Dalit assertion in Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections.
Chhattisgarh went to polls in two phases on November 12 and November 20 – recorded an overall turnout of 76.35 percent. Total Turnout in Phase One was around 70% while the second phase saw a voter turnout of over 74%.
Here are some important constituencies in the state that has always played an important part in State Politics:
Rajnandgaon
Chief Ministerial Constituency as per records saw 1,80,300 voters exercised their franchise in last assembly polls 2013. Incumbent Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who is seeking his fourth consecutive term, is contesting from Rajnandgaon Assembly constituency this year. The two-time MLA from Rajanandgaon constituency, Singh is seeking third consecutive victory from the seat. Congress has fielded Karuna Shukla, niece of former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee against Singh from Rajnandgaon. In the 2013 elections, Singh defeated Congress leader Alka Uday Mudliyar from the seat by a margin of 35,866 votes.
Bilaspur
In the 2013 elections, BJP’s Amar Agrawal Congress leader Vani Rao in Bilaspur seat.As per the 2013 election data, 2,23,950 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency of which BJP’s Amar Agrawal had gained 72,255 votes. For the 2018 polls, BJP has again fielded the winning candidate Agrawal but Congress has fielded Shailesh Pandey on the seat. The Jogi Chhattisgarh Congress has fielded Brijesh Sahu for the seat making it a triangular contest.
Takhatpur
As per the 2013 election data, 1,84,723 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. The BJP has been winning the seat since two last two elections. In 2013, BJP’s Raju Singh Kshatri defeated Congress leader Ashish Singh Thakur from the Takhatpur seat by a narrow margin of 608 votes. For 2018 polls, BJP’s Harshita Pandey is contesting against Congress leader Dr. Rashmi Singh, and JCC’s Santosh Kaushik (Guruji).
Ambikapur
As per the 2013 election data, 1,84,723 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. Congress leader TS Baba defeated BJP’s Anurag Singh Deo with a margin of 19,558 votes in last held polls. This time, Deo and Baba will again be facing each other while Sita Ram Das from BSP will be looking to make the triangular contest.
Bastar
As per the 2013 election data, 1,35,903 voters exercised their franchise in the ST reserved seat. Congress leader Baghel Lakheshwar had defeated BJP’s Dr Subhaoo Kashyap with a margin of 19,168 votes on the Bastar seat in last elections. This time, both Lakheshwar and Kashyap will be facing each other on the seat.
Dantewada
Dantewada was one of the 18 constituencies in eight districts of Chhattisgarh which went to polls in the first phase of the elections on November. Dantewada is located in Maoist hotbeds in south Chhattisgarh and is among the worst-affected by Left-Wing extremism in the country. As per the 2013 election data, 1,74,963 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. Congress’ Devti Karma is the sitting MLA who defeated BJP candidate Bhimaram Mandavi by a margin of 5,900 votes in last assembly polls 2013. The seat is witnessing a three-way contest between Mandavi, Devti and BSP’s Keshav Netam in 2018 assembly polls.
Jashpur
As per the 2013 election data, 1,99,942 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. BJP’s Rajsharan Bhagat is the sitting MLA from the constituency who defeated Congress candidate Sarhul Ram Bhagat by a margin of 34,349 votes in 2013. In 2018 polls, Bahujan Samaj Party’s Gaganmati Bhagat is contesting against BJP’s Govind Ram Bhagat and Congress’s Vinay Kumar Bhagat on the seat.
Kawardha
As per the 2013 election data, 2,69,308 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. BJP’s Ashok Sahu is the incumbent MLA who defeated Congress candidate Akbar Bhai by a narrow margin of 2,558 votes in 2013. This tie around both the BJP and the Congress have kept their candidates unchanged while the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh has fielded Agam Das Anant on the seat making it a three-way contest.
Kasdol
As per the 2013 election data, 2,95,214 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. BJP’s Gauri Shankar Agrawal is the sitting MLA who defeated Congress candidate Rajkamal Singhaniyain last assembly polls of 2013. In the last three assembly elections, the Congress has won two out of three times while BJP has won only once in 2013. The BJP has fielded Gauri Shankar again in 2018, Nationalist Congress Party has fielded Shakuntala Sahu while Rameshwar Prasad Kaiwart will be contesting on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket.
Jagdalpur
As per the 2013 election data, 1,76,546 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. BJP’s Santosh Bafna defeated Congress candidate Shamu Kashyap by a margin of 16658 votes in 2013 Assembly Polls. Though Congress has had a stronghold in 12 Vidhan Sabha seats of the Bastar division, it had lost the Jagdalpur seat to BJP by 17,000 votes last time. This time the BJP has again fielded Santosh while Rekhchand Jain is contesting on a Congress ticket and Amit Pandey is Janta Congress Chhattisgarh’s candidate.
The counting of votes will take place on December 11 along with other state assembly elections.