Chhattisgarh Election Phase 2 voting: Check key candidates, constituencies and poll issues

Chhattisgarh Election Phase 2 voting: The second phase of Chhattisgarh Election 2023 is all set to be held on Friday, November 17. As many as 70 assembly constituencies will go to polls in the second phase. A total of 958 candidates have been fielded across these 70 seats. Of these 958 candidates, 827 candidates are men, 130 are women and one is a transgender, the Election Commission of India said.

Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have fielded their candidates. As the Congress is hopeful of retaining power in the state, the BJP aims to defeat the Congress to win the polls.

The second phase of the Chhattisgarh Election will see some tight contests. The Patan assembly seat is poised to witness a striking contest between the uncle and the nephew, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Vijay Baghel. Vijay is the BJP MP representing the Durg Lok Sabha constituency. Patan is one of the assembly segments of Durg.

This isn't the first time the two have been pitted against each other. The duo fought the elections against each other thrice — 2003, 2008 and 2013, and Vijay defeated Bhupesh Baghel only once in 2008, the New Indian Express reported. Bhupesh has been contesting the Patan seat since 1993.

Chhattisgarh Election Phase 2: Other key candidates and seats

1. Ambikapur: Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader TS Singh Deo is contesting from Ambikapur in Surguja division. He is in the fray against BJP leader and businessman Rajesh Agarwal. Deo has been MLA for three consecutive terms since 2008. He is the richest MLA of Chhattisgarh.

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2. Sitapur: Food and Culture Minister Amarjeet Bhagat will contest the polls against BJP leader Ram Kumar Toppo.

3. Kharsia: Chhattisgarh's Sports and Higher Education Minister Umesh Patel is contesting against BJP leader Mahesh Sahu.

4. Korba: Revenue Minister Jai Singh Agrawal has been pitted against Chhattisgarh BJP's vice-president Lakhanlal Dewangan.

5. Arang: Urban Administration Minister Shivkumar Dahria Arang will fight BJP's Guru Khushwant Saheb.

6. Dondi Lohara: Social Welfare Minister Anila Bhendia will contest the polls against Devlal Halwa Thakur.

7. Durg Rural: Public Works and Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu has been pitted against BJP leader Lalit Chandrakar.

8. Saja: Chhattisgarh's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ravindra Choubey will be fighting BJP's Ishwar Sahu from this seat.

10. Navagarh: Chhattisgarh Public Health Engineering Guru Rudra Kumar contesting elections will fight against BJP leader Dayaldas Baghel.

11. Sakti: Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Charan Das Mahant is a Congress candidate who is in the fray against BJP's Khilawan Sahu. Das is a three-time MLA and three-time MP. He has been the president of the Chhattisgarh Congress.

12. Raipur City South: Former Chhattisgarh home minister and BJP candidate Brij Mohan Agrawal is contesting the polls from this seat against Congress's Mahant Ram Sundar Das.

13. Bharatpur-Sonhat: Union Minister of State for Tribal Welfare Renuka Singh is a BJP candidate pitted against Congress's Gulab Singh Kamro.

14. Lormi: Chhattisgarh BJP chief Arun Sao is contesting the polls against Congress's Thaneshwar Sahu.

15. Raipur City West: At 26, this seat has the highest number of contestants. while it is the lowest in the Daundilohara constituency where four candidates are in the fray

Chhattisgarh Election 2023: Key poll issues

1. Corruption: The BJP has levelled corruption allegations against the Congress-led Chhattisgarh government. The party repeatedly took potshots at Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel over the Mahadev betting app case. BJP president JP Nadda even accused the Congress of indulging in corruption, loot and dynastic politics.

2. Farmers’ issues: In an interview with PTI, CM Baghel said farmers were the “biggest factor" followed by women, youth and business people who would help the Congress secure 75-plus seats in the 90-member house". The Congress promised a loan waiver to farmers and said the state government would procure paddy at ₹3,200 per quintal once it retains power in Chhattisgarh.

3. Tribal issue: Both the Congress and the BJP went all out to woo the tribal community in the state. According to reports, the Congress will be tested in tribal areas as the BJP tries to bridge the gap. At present, the ruling Congress presently has all seats in tribal-dominated Surguja and Bastar regions, the Hindustan Times reported.

4. Naxalism: The violence by Naxals is another issue gripping the state.

The first phase of the polling in the Chhattisgarh Election 2023 was held on November 7. As many as 20 seats voted in the first phase. Now, voters across the rest of the 70 seats in the state will cast a vote on November 17. The results of the elections to the 90-member assembly will be declared on December 3.