Voting for the second phase of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh is to be held tomorrow, Friday (17 November). In the first phase of voting conducted for 20 seats, 74 percent people cast their votes. Now elections are to be held on the remaining 70 seats, many of these seats are high profile. Patan Assembly seat is also included in the high profile seats of the state, where Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is contesting, he is facing tough competition from nephew and MP Vijay Baghel as well as Amit Jogi. Apart from this, Ambikapur and Sakti assembly seats are included.
Along with Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party in the elections, there is another party, Janata Chhattisgarh Congress, which seems ready to give a tough challenge here. After separating from Congress in 2016, former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi had formed a new party named Janata Chhattisgarh Congress (JCCJ). After this, it contested the 2018 elections in alliance with BSP and CPI in which it won 5 seats and secured 7.65% votes in the elections. Let us take a look at the 10 high profile seats of the state where who will win the elections and whose seat will be crowned.
Patan: Tough challenge to CM Baghel in his house
Patan assembly seat is a very high profile seat of the state because from here Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is contesting the elections on Congress ticket and he is facing a triangular challenge. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Chief Minister’s nephew and MP Vijay Baghel against Baghel. Vijay Baghel is MP from Durg Lok Sabha seat. Apart from Vijay, former CM Ajit Jogi’s son Amit is also trying his luck from the same seat. In the 2018 elections, Bhupesh Baghel had won from Patan seat by a huge margin of 27,477.
Ambikapur seat: Will number-two TS Baba get a challenge?
Chhattisgarh’s Deputy Chief Minister and number two leader in state politics, TS Singh Deo, is once again contesting from Ambikapur assembly seat. He has won elections from this seat three times in a row. This time too, Congress has given another chance to TS Singh Deo, while BJP has expressed confidence in Rajesh Aggarwal. Now it has to be seen whether former Nagar Panchayat President Rajesh Aggarwal will be able to challenge TS Singh Deo. He was earlier in Congress. Had joined BJP in 2018.
Bharatpur-Sonhat seat: Will BJP’s move work?
Everyone’s eyes are on Bharatpur-Sonhat seat. BJP has fielded Union Minister Renuka Singh on Bharatpur-Sonhat seat of Koriya district of Chhattisgarh. Congress has given ticket to sitting MLA Gulab Singh Kamro in response to Renuka Singh’s challenge. In such a situation, the competition is expected to be fierce here. This area is considered to be dominated by Gondwana Gantantra Party. In such a situation, the contest here could be triangular.
Pathalgaon seat: BJP fields MP against MLA
Pathalgaon assembly seat falling in Jashpur district is being counted among the high profile seats of the state. BJP has fielded Lok Sabha MP Gomti Sai on Pathalgaon seat reserved for Scheduled Tribes, while Congress has given another chance to Rampukar Singh. In the 2018 elections, Rampukar Singh of Congress had won the Pathalgaon seat, when he defeated Shivshankar Pankara of BJP by a margin of more than 36 thousand votes.
Rampur seat: Nankiram Vs Phoolchand Rathiya
Rampur assembly seat in Korba district is currently held by BJP. Last time in the 2018 elections, the contest here was triangular. This seat is reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Bharatiya Janata Party has given ticket to former state Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar, Phoolchand Rathiya is presenting the challenge from Congress. In the last 3 elections in tribal dominated assembly constituencies, BJP has won twice and Congress has won once.
Lormi seat: BJP fields state president
Lormi assembly seat of Mungeli district is also witnessing a tough election. BJP has fielded the party’s state president and Lok Sabha MP from Bilaspur, Arun Sao. In response, Congress has given ticket to Thaneshwar Sahu. Sahu is the chairman of the state Backward Classes Commission. In the 2018 elections, Dharamjit Singh of Amit Jogi’s party JCCJ had won the Lormi seat.
Sakti seat: Eyes set on Charan Das Mahant
Sakti seat is situated in Janjgir-Champa district of Chhattisgarh. Congress has fielded Assembly Speaker Charan Das Mahant from Sakti seat. In front of whom BJP has given ticket to Khilwan Sahu. Khilavan Sahu is an MBBS degree holder and a doctor by profession. He became MLA for the first time in 2013. Charan Das Mahant had won in the 2018 elections. Charan Das is counted among the big leaders of the state. He has also been a Union Minister.
Durg Rural Seat: Will Tamradhwaj Sahu be able to win?
Durg Rural Assembly seat of Durg district is one of the most popular seats. In the last 3 elections, 3 different candidates have won this seat. State Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu is the candidate from here, in response to which BJP has given ticket to Lalit Chandrakar. Tamradhwaj Sahu had won in the 2018 elections. BJP was victorious from here in 2013.
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Raipur City South: Will Brij Mohan’s stronghold be breached?
Everyone’s eyes are also on Raipur City South seat of the capital Raipur. This seat is known because of BJP’s Brij Mohan Agarwal. Brij Mohan Aggarwal has won elections from here four consecutive times since 2008. Congress has given him ticket from Mahant Ram Sundar Das.
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Bilaspur seat: Will BJP win here?
Bilaspur seat is one of the important seats of Bilaspur district. BJP has fielded Amar Aggarwal from here. He remained a minister in the state for 15 years. He is again in the fray and Congress has fielded Shailesh Pandey against him. Shailesh Pandey had won in 2018 while Amar Aggarwal had won in 2013.
