The first phase of polling in 20 seats of Chhattisgarh assembly elections is scheduled to take place on November 7 (Tuesday). The first phase of campaigning saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacking Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel over the alleged Mahadev betting app scam, while Congress has based its campaign on welfare schemes of the Baghel government.
The upcoming election in Chhattisgarh stands unique this poll season for many reasons. Of the five states going to polls in November: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh, Chhattisgarh is the only state to have a schedule for two-phase-election, while the others have a single-phase voting.
Where Does Congress Stand in Chhattisgarh?
Chhattisgarh is the only state among the five where Congress sits comfortably in terms of its political equation, seat share and voters’ percentage tally in the last assembly election and the bypoll.
Congress marched forward in the state in the last assembly elections and the bypoll. As the political prowess of Congress grows in Chhattisgarh, the BJP has sharpened its attack against the Bhupesh Baghel government on the issues of corruption.
Corruption Dominant Issue
The Enforcement Directorate is probing multiple scams in the state including a new paddy scam case along with the cases in the excise, mining and coal levy scams. During the investigation into the excise scam case, the central agency stumbled upon some anomalies and received several complaints about the process of paddy procurement in the state.
With several scams surfacing ahead of the polls, the BJP sets corruption as its main election issue in the state. Unlike the last election, the saffron party has started early this time.
The first list for the state was announced way before the election dates were declared and the second list was announced immediately after the announcement of poll dates.
The main candidates from the BJP in this phase are former chief minister Raman Singh (Rajnandgaon) and former state ministers Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur), Lata Usendi (Kondagaon), Vikram Usendi (Antagarh) and Mahesh Gagda (Bijapur). Former IAS officer Neelkanth Tekam is contesting from Keshkal.
Steep challenge for BJP
BJP has announced a total of 90 candidates, of which 33 are from OBC (Other Backward Class), 30 from Scheduled Tribe (ST and 10 from Scheduled Caste (SC). BJP’s state chief Arun Sao told News18 that the election would be fought in the name of PM Modi and his development plank.
“As per the current schedule, PM Modi will hold five rallies across the state. But home minister Amit Shah will be having multiple programmes and rallies in the state. He had come twice over the past week,” Arun Sao said. He added that his party has given tickets to 43 new candidates.
State Demography
Chhattisgarh, dominated by tribal population, consists of 90 assembly constituencies. Of the total 90 seats, 29 are reserved for STs while 10 seats are marked SC seats.
BJP witnessed a steep drop from 49 seats in 2013 to 15 seats in 2018 and further down to 13 post bypoll, while Congress surged in numbers. The Congress took its seat tally from 39 seats in 2013 to 68 seats in 2018 and further up to 71 after the bypoll.
In the past five years, Baghel’s government turned out to be the one that balanced caste, community and religion through his policies and projects. Starting from the paddy procurement schemes for the farmers to installing statues of Ram across the state and announcing a project called- Ram Van Gaman circuit, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel addressed almost all key issues.
Congress designed its poll campaign around its government’s ‘secular approach’ and ‘pro-farmer’ policies, said Deepak Baij, the state’s PCC chief. The party is counting on its paddy procurement schemes, increasing the MSP prices for 67 forest products, unemployment allowances and tribal tourism circuits across regions.
All About Chhattisgarh Elections
Chhattisgarh will vote in two phases — November 7 and 17. Of the 20 constituencies voting in the first phase, 12 seats come under the Naxal-affected Bastar division and eight fall in the Durg division.
All these 20 seats, except former Chief Minister Raman Singh’s Rajnandgaon, are currently held by the Congress. Of the 70 constituencies voting on the 17th, Congress swept 52 seats. The constituencies polling in the second phase include Bilaspur, Surguja, Raipur and parts of Durg divisions.
Key Issues: Corruption to Conversion
Chhattisgarh is a melting pot of multiple issues, from allegations of facilitating ‘religious conversion’ to alleged corruption and the BJP is shaping its election campaign on all fronts.
“There is no dearth of issues in the state. The government in Chhattisgarh supported and facilitated rampant conversion by the missionaries, especially in the tribal-dominated areas. Its policies emboldened the Naxalites also. Political killings rose in numbers. We have lost hundreds of BJP workers to Naxalite violence in and around the Bastar region over the past five years,” BJP’s state chief Arun Sao said.
“The government is scam-ridden. There has been no development. The central funds were used to serve the political interests of the ruling party,” he added.
Congress MP and state party chief Deepak Baij said the BJP has no issue to talk about and that was the reason they are using the central agencies to intimidate the Congress leaders and government officers.
“Our government has worked in the state and people know that. The support price for paddy farmers is the highest in the country. The government introduced other pro-poor schemes in the state, and worked for tribals, SCs, and OBCs. Ours is a caste and religion-neutral government unlike that of BJP,” Deepak Baij said.
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