Chhattisgarh poll campaign concludes

TOTAL OF 1,079 CANDIDATES ARE IN THE FRAY FOR 72 SEATS ACROSS 19 DISTRICTS

Ahigh-voltage campaign for the second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls, dominated by issues of farmers, jobs and corruption, came to an end yesterday evening.

Polling will be held across 72 seats in 19 districts tomorrow. In the first phase, polling was held for 18 seats in eight Naxal-affected districts, on November 12.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ruling the state for 15 years, and the main opposition Congress fielded their top leaders in the campaign.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaigned for the ruling party on the last day.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and BJP president Amit Shah had addressed rallies in the state on Saturday.

The BJP top brass targeted the Gandhi family during the campaign for the “misrule” of 50 years. The Congress focused on farmers’ issues, promising loan waivers, bonus on paddy procurement and food processing units.

Gandhi also targeted Modi over the Rafale fighter jets deal and the state’s Chief Minister Raman Singh for the PDS (Public Distribution System) and chit fund scams.

Twists in poll battles

A total of 1,101 candidates are in the fray in the second phase.

Former chief minister Ajit Jogi, who floated the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), is contesting from Marwahi, his wife Renu Jogi is in the fray from Kota while daughterin-law Richa Jogi is a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) nominee from the Akaltara seat in the second phase of polling.

The coalition between the Mayawati-led BSP, Jogi’s JCC (J) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) has added a twist to the battle between the BJP and Congress.

The highest number of contestants — 46 — are in the fray from the Raipur City South seat. The poll results will be declared on December 11.