Raipur:

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said rallies of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reminded him of Hindi film “Ghajini”, in which the main character suffers from short term memory loss, as the latter has forgotten promises he made in the run up to the 2018 Chhattisgarh Assembly polls.

Addressing a press conference, the senior BJP leader took a swipe at the ruling Congress in the state and alleged tainted money from the liquor scam was being invested in the elections.

“After seeing some rallies of Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, I am reminded of the (2008) film Ghajini. They are suffering from memory loss. They have forgotten what they promised in the past (in the 2018 poll campaign) and have started lying afresh,” Mr Fadnavis claimed.

Mr Fadnavis claimed the Baghel government helped in the making of fake holograms, that are put on liquor bottles, and earned Rs 2,000 crore, which is now being invested in the elections.

“People are asking about the Congress’ promise of prohibition but they (party) don’t remember it anymore. The Congress promised to start an air ambulance, but are unable to run normal ambulance services,” he said.

Referring to the alleged PSC (Public Service Commission) scam, Mr Fadnvais taunted that Chhattisgarh is the first state where one needs to be the children of politicians and bureaucrats to get jobs.

“We had heard someone had consumed chara (fodder) in Bihar. But in Chhattisgarh they consumed ‘gobar’,” he said targeting the Baghel government over alleged corruption in the cow dung procurement scheme.

“Modi government had launched welfare schemes for the poor but the Baghel government stopped the construction of houses for them. They (Congress government) claim they will bring new schemes for the construction of houses, which is never going to happen,” he added.

On Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s promise of giving subsidy of Rs 500 on LPG in Chhattisgarh, Mr Fadnvais said the “Modi ji is already giving subsidy of Rs 400”.

They (Congress) procure paddy from farmers for which they take Rs 2200 (per quintal) from the Narendra Modi government but then take credit for the entire procurement, Mr Fadnavis alleged.

Earlier, Mr Fadnavis addressed an election rally in Dhamtari city and accused the Baghel government of indulging in scams.

Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases on November 7 and 17, while results will be declared on December 3.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Raipur (Chhattisgarh):

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday released its fourth and final list of candidates for the upcoming Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, fielding party leader Rajesh Agarwal from Ambikapur constituency against state Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo.

The party’s final list has four candidates including Sushant Shukla from Beltara, Dhaniram Dhivar from Kasdol and Dipesh Sahu from Bemetara.

The first phase of polling for 20 seats in Chhattisgarh will be held on November 7.

The BJP has now declared all 90 candidates in the state. The party’s first list of 21 candidates included Lok Sabha MP Vijay Baghel, who has been fielded against Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in Patan in Durg district.

The second list had 64 candidates and the third list had a single name.

The Congress has also declared the names of all its 90 candidates.

After the first phase of polling on November 7, the remaining 70 seats in the state will go to polls on November 17. The counting of votes will be done on December 3.

Last week, the BJP released the list of 40 star campaigners for the first phase of the state polls.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Raipur:

The opposition BJP in Chhattisgarh has filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Raipur seeking action against 83 Congress candidates, claiming they have not furnished their criminal record details to the Election Commission within 48 hours of their selection.

The Congress, however, claimed the BJP was levelling false allegations against the ruling party candidates.

A Congress spokesperson said they have not given tickets to people with “criminal tendencies” and that they will fulfil the criteria laid down by the Election Commission.

The Congress has so far declared candidates for 83 out of the total 90 seats in the state which will go to polls in two phases on November 7 and 17.

In the complaint submitted to the CEO on Saturday, the BJP has cited the Supreme Court’s order, according to which political parties must submit to the Election Commission the criminal antecedents of candidates within 48 hours of their selection, BJP’s state legal cell convener Jaiprakash Chandravanshi in a statement.

The Congress neither submitted the criminal records of its 83 candidates to the EC nor published it on the party’s website, social media or in two newspapers, including a national and a local, which amounts to violation of the top court’s order, he claimed.

The list of Congress candidates who have not declared their criminal records has been enclosed with the complaint seeking appropriate action against them for alleged contempt of the SC’s orders, Chandravanshi added.

When contacted, state Congress spokesperson Dhananjay Singh Thakur said their party has not given tickets to people with “criminal tendencies”, and alleged that it is the BJP’s character to protect criminals and field them in elections.

The BJP has been levelling false allegations against Congress candidates who have a “clean image”, he said.

“We will fulfil the criteria laid down by the Election Commission,” the Congress leader said.

Voting in 20 assembly constituencies out of the total 90 will be held in the first phase on November 7 for which filing of nominations ended on Friday.

Candidates from the Congress, BJP and other parties have filed their nominations for the first phase and it is mandatory for the nominees to disclose their criminal antecedents, if any, in the nomination papers. PTI TKP GK

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Raipur:

The opposition BJP has pinned its hopes on the old guard to ensure victory in the next month’s assembly elections in Chhattisgarh as it has given tickets to 11 sitting MLAs and renominated 13 leaders who lost in the 2018 polls.

The BJP on Monday released its second list of candidates for 64 assembly seats, hours after the Election Commission announced assembly poll dates for Chhattisgarh and four other states.

The Maoist-affected state will have a two-phase polling on November 7 (20 seats) and November 17 (70 seats) to elect a new 90-member assembly.

With this, the BJP has so far declared candidates for 85 seats with just five nominees left to be named.

Former chief minister Raman Singh will be contesting from his traditional Rajnandgaon seat, while Leader of Opposition in the assembly Narayan Prasad Chandel has been renominated from his current seat Janjir-Champa.

Popular Chhattisgarhi filmstar Anuj Sharma, who recently joined the BJP, has been fielded from Dharsiwa in Raipur district.

Ishwar Sahu, a villager whose son was killed in a communal clash in April this year in Biranpur village of Bemetara district, also featured in the list of candidates.

The main opposition party has denied ticket to sitting MLA Damrudhar Pujari (Bindranawgarh-ST reserved).

It has fielded legislator Dharamjeet Singh, who recently joined the BJP after being expelled from the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) last year, from Takhatpur seat.

Three MPs, including a Union minister, and two former IAS officers also feature in the list which also has names of more than 20 fresh faces and nine women candidates.

Of the 64 seats for which nominees were announced by the BJP on Monday, 19 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and nine for Scheduled Castes (SC).

State BJP president and Bilaspur Member of Parliament Arun Sao has been fielded from Lormi, Surguja MP and Union minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh from Bharatpur-Sonhat (ST reserved) and Raigarh Lok Sabha member Gomti Sai from Pathalgaon (ST).

The other MLAs who have been retained are Brijmohan Agrawal (Raipur South), Punnulal Mohile (Mungeli-SC), Nankiram Kanwar (Rampur-ST), Dharamlal Kaushik (Bilha), Dr Krishnamurti Bandhi (Masturi-SC), Saurabh Singh (Akaltara), Shivratan Sharma (Bhatapara), Ajay Chandrakar (Kurud) and Rajana Dipendra Sahu (Dhamtari).

BJP candidates who lost in 2018, but in whom the party has reposed faith this time also are Shyam Bihari Jaiswal (Manendragarh), Bhaiyyalal Rajwade (Baikunthpur), Ramdayal Uikey (Pali-Tanakhar-ST), Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur-ST), Mahesh Gagda (Bijapur-ST), Prem Prakash Pandey (Bhilai Nagar), Dayaldas Baghel (Navagarh-SC), Rajesh Munat (Raipur West), Vikram Usendi (Antagarh-ST), Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur) and Sanyogita Singh Judev (Chandrapur).

Sanyogita Judev is the wife of former MLA late Yuddhvir Singh Judev, who was the son of BJP stalwart Dilip Singh Judev. Another son of BJP leader late Dilip Singh Judev, Prabal Pratap Singh Judev, has been fielded from Kota.

Former IAS officer OP Chaudhary, who lost the previous elections from Kharsia, has been fielded from adjoining Raigarh, while Sampat Agrawal, who unsuccessfully contested as an independent candidate five years ago, is the BJP nominee from Basna.

BJP leader Motilal Sahu, who had suffered defeat at the hands of Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel from Patan in 2018, has been fielded from Raipur Rural this time.

The party has also fielded Ishwar Sahu from Saja seat in Bemetara district. His son Bhuneshwar Sahu (22) was killed in communal violence in Biranpur village on April 8.

Former IAS officer Neelkanth Tekam, who joined the BJP in August after quitting the elite service, will contest from the Keshkal (ST) seat.

Former Union minister and ex-state BJP chief Vishnu Deo Sai has been fielded from Kunkuri (ST).

The BJP has fielded Dharamjeet Singh, who recently joined the party, from Takhatpur. Singh is currently the MLA from Lormi, where the BJP has fielded its state unit president Arun Sao.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Sao said while the party has given chance to young faces, experienced leaders have also been fielded to contest polls.

“So, it is a mixture of young and experienced leaders,” said the state BJP president.

Asked about resentment among BJP workers over selection of candidates in some seats, he said the party has given tickets while considering every angle and aspect in a constituency.

“All party workers will work together to ensure BJP’s victory in the upcoming polls,” Mr Sao said.

Taking a dig at the BJP’s second list of candidates, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday said the opposition party has reposed faith in those who were rejected by voters in the previous elections.

“Yesterday (while leaving for Delhi) I had said the BJP’s list of candidates was deliberately leaked (referring to purported list of BJP candidates that had gone viral last week). If it had not been deliberately done, the IT and ED would have raided (those involved in alleged leak),” he said.

“It was done as a part of the BJP’s strategy. The BJP has put faith in those who were rejected by people, be it Amar Agrawal, Premprakash Pandey or Rajesh Munat. The party does not have faces in the state,” Mr Baghel said.

Queried whether the BJP was trying to raise the issue of communal violence in Biranpur (Bemetara district) by fielding local villager Ishwar Sahu, Mr Baghel said, “No matter how hard they try, it will not be an issue. There were other BJP workers in Saja (from where Sahu has been fielded). He (Sahu) is a purely non-political person.”

In the 2018 assembly polls, the Congress won 68 of the total 90 seats, while the BJP finished a distant second with 15. The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), founded by former CM late Ajit Jogi, bagged five seats and its ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won in two segments.

The ruling party further consolidated its hold in the state with victory in bypolls held for five assembly seats after 2018. The Congress tally currently stands at 71.

The opposition BJP currently has 13 seats in the House, the JCC(J) 3 and the BSP 2 seats. One seat is currently lying vacant.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Raipur:

The Congress registered a landslide victory in the 2018 Chhattisgarh assembly elections because of the “strong” anti-incumbency against the BJP that had ruled the state for 15 years between 2003 and 2018. The Congress currently holds 71 seats in the 90-member state assembly and is aiming to win 75 seats in the upcoming elections riding on the Bhupesh Baghel-led government’s pro-farmers, pro-tribals, and pro-poor schemes.

The ruling party is also eyeing to cash in on CM Baghel’s popularity as he has a significant hold over the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and rural voters.

What Are Congress’ Strengths In Chhattisgarh?

Implementation of several welfare schemes, including Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay and Godhan Nyay Yojana, catering to farmers and rural population, unemployment allowance, and procurement of millets and various forest produce at support price.

CM Baghel has developed his image as a son of the soil, enhancing his popularity among the native population. He has a significant hold over the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and rural voters.

In the last five years, the party has strengthened its organisational set-up till the booth level. Around 3 lakh youths associated with the Rajiv Yuva Mitan Club scheme could help the party in mobilising voters in its favour. This scheme is aimed at connecting young people of the state with creative works, developing leadership skills, and making them aware of their social responsibilities.

The Congress won bypolls held to five assembly seats in Chhattisgarh after 2018, consolidating its position in the state.

Congress’ Weaknesses In Chhattisgarh

There is factionalism and infighting in the grand old party’s state unit. In the last five years, CM Baghel’s bete noire in the party TS Singh Deo raised a banner of revolt multiple times. Finally, the party had to placate him by appointing him as the deputy chief minister earlier this year. Another leader Mohan Markam, a former state Congress president, was also not on good terms with Mr Baghel. But he was inducted into the state cabinet a few months back. Despite all this, the internal bickering is far from over.

The government is facing allegations of corruption in coal transportation, liquor sale, District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund utilisation, and Public Service Commission recruitment in the state.

Some incidents of communal violence and clashes over religious conversion occurred in the state during the present regime, giving an opportunity to the opposition BJP to build a narrative against the Congress of being anti-Hindu.

Congress’ Opportunities In Chhattisgarh

The BJP has failed to mount an effective attack on the Congress in the last nearly five years.

 Leadership issue in the BJP: After the 2018 assembly polls, the BJP has changed its state chief thrice and also changed its leader of opposition in the state assembly last year. The saffron party has also virtually sidelined Raman Singh, whose last tenure as CM between 2013 and 2018 was rocked by alleged civil supplies scam and chit fund scam.

The Congress has been continuously targeting the BJP, claiming its central leadership does not have faith in the party’s frontline leaders in the state.

Weak BJP district units that failed to counter Congress’ narrative against the BJP-led Centre at the local level.

Threats Congress Faces In Chhattisgarh

Unfulfilled promises, including liquor ban and regularisation of contractual employees, may attract the wrath of people in various constituencies.

The ‘Modi factor’ gives the BJP an edge over rival parties.

Entry of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Sarwa Adivasi Samaj (an umbrella body of tribal organisations) into the elections may damage the vote bank of the Congress.

Of the 68 Congress MLAs who were elected in 2018, a total of 35 were first timers and most of them are now facing opposition from the public over their performance. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kanker, Chhattisgarh:

A 93-year-old man in the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh will exercise his voting right for the first time in his life during the assembly elections scheduled this year.

The name of the nonagenarian has been added to the voters’ list during a door-to-door campaign launched in the district under the leadership of District Collector Priyanka Shukla.

Sher Singh Hedko (93), a resident of village Bhainsakanhar (K) under Bhanupratappur assembly constituency, will vote for the first time during this assembly election. Even after the passing of several years, his name was not added to the list. Moreover, errors in documents could be a potential reason for it.

After his name was added to the voters’ list, the nonagenarian is excited to register his active participation in the democratic exercise and choose his representative, said Sher Hedko’s relatives citing him as he is unable to speak properly.

A voter awareness campaign is being carried out in the district and under this initiative, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are undertaking door-to-door campaigns to register names of eligible persons left out in the voters’ list.

As part of this initiative, BLO Rajendra Kosma, who went to enroll the name of Sher Singh’s grandchild, learned that the name of the nonagenarian is also not added to the list and he had not exercised his voting rights even once. Following this, Sher Singh’s formalities were completed.

“This is a remarkable achievement of our BLOs that they approached those, who were left out in the voters’ list for certain reasons, by visiting people at their doorsteps and ensuring the adding of their names. By acting proactively, the BLOs added names of people by helping them arrange required documents and during this exercise, the name of Sher Singh Hedko was also added,” Kanker District Collector Priyanka Shukla said.

Moreover, the names of several senior citizens in the Antagarh and Bhanupratappur blocks were also added this time, she said attributing the credit for this development to BLOs, EROs (Electoral Registration Officers) and the team of SVEEP (Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation).

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)