Chhattisgarh Elections: Who are the key faces in the fray? What are the main issues?

Chhattisgarh is all set to vote for the first phase of Assembly elections on Tuesday (7 November). The second phase of polling will take place on 17 November. While the Congress will jostle to remain in power in Chhattisgarh, the main Opposition – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – is trying to take back the state it ruled for 15 years between 2003 and 2018. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are also in the fray. However, the prime contest is likely to stay between the two major parties in the state. Before the first phase of polling begins in Chhattisgarh, let’s take a look at the key leaders and hot-button issues that can sway how people vote. Chhattisgarh Elections: Top leaders, key seats Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel is contesting from his home constituency Patan in the Durg district. While he is a strong candidate, the veteran leader is expected to face a tough contest from his distant nephew and BJP candidate Vijay Baghel – the current Lok Sabha MP from Durg. Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC-J) president Amit Jogi, the son of Chhattisgarh’s first CM Ajit Jogi, is also fighting from Patan. The Congress has fielded Chhattisgarh deputy CM TS Singhdeo from Ambikapur, a tribal-dominated seat in north Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district. Belonging to an erstwhile royal family, Singhdeo has been triumphant from this seat thrice – in 2008, 2013, and 2018. He is facing BJP’s Rajesh Agarwal this time. BJP’s Raman Singh, who ruled Chhattisgarh for 15 years till 2018, has been given a ticket from Rajnandgaon seat. He won the constituency in the 2018 Assembly polls with a thin margin of nearly 18,000 votes against the Congress candidate Karuna Shukla. The Grand Old Party has fielded the state unit’s general secretary Girish Dewangan, an Other Backward Classes (OBC) leader who is reportedly considered close to CM Baghel, against Singh. [caption id=“attachment_13355392” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Union home minister Amit Shah with Arun Sao and Raman Singh releasing the BJP’s manifesto for Chhattisgarh elections in Raipur on 3 November. PTI[/caption] Bilaspur MP and BJP Chhattisgarh president Arun Sao is contesting from Lormi constituency against Congress’ Thaneshwar Sahu. According to the Economic Times (ET), Sao, who comes from the OBC Sahu community, is likely to be a candidate for the CM’s post if the BJP comes to power. Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh is BJP’s candidate from the Bharatpur-Sonhat seat (ST reserved) seat in the Koriya district. Another expected BJP front-runner for the CM post, she is fighting against Congress’ Gulab Singh Kamro. Other key seats in Chhattisgarh Assembly elections include Konta (ST), Kondagaon (ST), Raipur City South, Durg Rural, Kawardha, Sakti, Saja, Arang (SC), Janjgir-Champa and Kharsia, according to the news agency PTI. Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections: Main issues Farmers’ issues can play a key role as Chhattisgarh holds the ballot in two phases. In an interview with PTI, CM Baghel said farmers were the “biggest factor” followed by women, youth and businesspeople who would help the Congress secure 75-plus seats in the 90-member House. The Congress government has tried to woo the nearly 38 lakh-strong farmer population through its schemes under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana and the recent paddy procurement at minimum support price (MSP). The Baghel government also fulfilled its 2018 promise and waived farmers’ loans soon after coming to power. ALSO READ: Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2023: Will anti-incumbency throw out Congress from power? The BJP is trying to corner the Baghel government over alleged corruption charges. BJP vice president Raman Singh has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the alleged Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) selection scam. The state has seen raids by central agencies including the Enforcement Directorate, CBI and the Income Tax Department over alleged corruption in coal mining, excise policy, and procurement of cow dung. Modi has also raised the Mahadev betting app row in his poll campaigning in the state. The Congress has dismissed the charges and accused the Centre of misusing the central agencies. [caption id=“attachment_13355472” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Chhattisgarh is voting in two phases in the Assembly polls. PTI File Photo[/caption] Tribals are another important constituent in the elections. The ruling Congress is banking on its welfare schemes to notch up most of the 29 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes. The BJP has increased the heat over religious conversion and the rift between Christians and non-Christian tribals reported mostly from the Bastar division, reported TOI. As per The Hindu, the Hamar Raj party, a new political entrant in the state, is attempting to take advantage of the “tribal discontent” against both the BJP and Congress. The Congress has vowed to conduct a caste census if it regains power. Both the main parties are trying to court OBCs, which form a reported 43.5 per cent population in the state. However, despite its efforts to highlight the representation of OBCs in the Union Cabinet and give tickets to community members from nearly two-thirds of general seats, the BJP’s campaign workers have been unable to escape conversations around caste census, reported The Hindu. With inputs from agencies