The Chhattisgarh Assembly polls have captured the attention of the nation as the initial trends show a neck-and-neck competition between the Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As the counting of votes proceeds, the Congress is leading in six assembly seats, while the BJP is leading in five seats, according to the trends issued by the Election Commission of India.
Leading the Congress charge in these early trends are candidates like Phoolsingh Rathiya of Rampur assembly constituency, Umesh Patel of Kharsia, Janak Dhruw of Bindranawagarh, Ashish Chhabra of Bemetara, and Aditya Raj of Manendragarh. On the other hand, Kedar Kashyap of the BJP is leading from Narayanpur assembly constituency, as per the Election Commission data.
The halfway mark for the 90-member assembly of Chhattisgarh is 46, highlighting the closely contested nature of these elections. The results of the assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, along with those in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana, are being viewed as a semifinal before the much-anticipated Lok Sabha polls scheduled for 2024.
A total of 1,181 candidates contested the Chhattisgarh polls, seeking a mandate from the 90-member assembly. The Election Commission of India has appointed 90 counting observers, along with returning officers, assistant returning officers, enumerators, and micro-observers to ensure a smooth counting process.
The polling in Chhattisgarh was held in two phases, with the first phase taking place on November 7 and the second phase on November 17. The voter turnout for both phases combined was recorded at 76.31 percent, slightly lower than the turnout in the 2018 polls.
Apart from the Congress and the BJP, the Chhattisgarh Elections 2023 also saw the participation of the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Regional parties like the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP), Hamar Raj Party (HRP), and the Left parties also contested these elections, adding further dynamism to the political landscape.
As the counting continues and the final results are awaited, all eyes are on Chhattisgarh to see which party will emerge victorious and set the tone for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. With intriguing trends and a significant turnout, this assembly election has undoubtedly captured the interest of the nation.
