Polling ends in Chhattisgarh; 71.93% cast their votes

Final phase of polling begins in Chhattisgarh
Poll officials collect election material at a distribution centre a day before the second phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly elections | Photo: PTI

Raipur: A closely contested assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, where the BJP is facing anti-incumbency and is trying to win a fourth consecutive term in a tri-angular contest, saw a nearly 71.93 % per cent voter-turnout in 78 constituencies in the second and last phase of balloting that passed off by and large peaceful on Tuesday. The fate of 1,079 candidates was sealed in electronic chips by evening.

State electoral officer Subrat Sahoo told media that 71.93% of the more than 1.54 crore voters had cast their votes as per the statistics available till 6 pm. The polling percentage could increase further after completion of final tabulation by late in the night.

Polling began on a brisk note in the morning in more than 19,000 polling stations, spread across 72 constituencies and long queues were seen in a number of assembly segments even after 5 pm. Electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPAT machines developed technical glitches in more than a 100 polling stations, leading to protest from the voters in some constituencies over the unusual delay starting the balloting process. Rumours and conspiracy theories spread like wild fire.

AICC general secretary P L Punia rushed to election commission, pointing out EVM malfunctions at polling stations and an incident in which police have seized EVMs from one Ved Prakash Mishra, who is the headmaster of a government high school in Chirmiri. Congress also drew attention of election commission towards incidents of distribution of cash at some constituencies, alleging that these are insidious attempts on the part of certain individuals to infiltrate and influence the outcome of elections.

In Marwahi (ST) constituency, where regional party Janata Congress founder and former chief minister Ajit Jogi is seeking elections, three members of a polling party including a presiding officer were arrested and removed from poll duties after Jogi’s supporters complained that they were seen directing the elderly and the poor to press the EVM’s first button, which had symbol of the BJP candidate.

Around 1.50 lakh security personnel were deployed across the state to ensure peaceful polling, including in districts like Gariaband, Dhamtari, Mahasamund, Kabirdham, Jashpur and Balrampur where Maoists have a presence. However, no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the state.

Prominent among those who tested their electoral fortunes are state BJP president Dharamlal Kaushik (Bilha), state Congress president Bhupesh Baghel (Patan), leader of the opposition T S Singhdeo ( Ambikapur) former chief minister Ajit Jogi ( Marwahi-ST), his wife and former Congress legislature party deputy leader Ranu Jogi ( Kota), their daughter in law and BSP candidate Richa Jogi ( Akaltara), Congress working committee member Tamradwaj Sahu (Durg-Rural) and former union minister Dr Charandas Mahant (Sakti). Nine ministers in the Raman Singh ministry also tested their electoral fortunes during this phase of polling.

First phase of polling in 18 constituencies in Maoist affected Bastar and Rajnandgaon was completed on November 12 where more than 78 per cent of voters have exercised their franchise.

Jogi factor

Chhattisgarh, which came into existence in November 2000 after being carved out of Madhya Pradesh, had always witnessed by-polar politics between the BJP and the Congress in all the three elections. However, the political dynamics changed this time after state’s first chief minister Ajit Jogi broke away from the Congress two years ago and floated a new political party Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J). Jogi’s party JCC tied with Bahujan Samaj party (BSP) and the CPI at the last moment to form a pre-poll alliance, making contest triangular, hazy and unpredictable.

Right from the beginning, BJP appeared to have pinned its hopes of Ajit Jogi and his party JCC to retain power for the fourth term with a belief that the alliance led by him could eat into the traditional Congress votes which would benefit the saffron party. After today’s polling, chief minister Raman Singh publicly maintained that Jogi and his party’s alliance have influence in at least 30 constituencies and their presence would definitely benefit the BJP. He claimed that the BJP would retain power by winning with a very comfortable majority in the 90 member assembly.

However, former chief minister Ajit Jogi has been maintaining “I will cut into the votes of both the BJP and the Congress; may be slightly more of Congress because I was in Congress”. As he expressed confidence that his alliance would be in a decisive role in a post poll scenario, veteran CPI leader Chhitaranjan Bakshi too subscribed to the same view saying that the alliance could win sizable seats to emerge as the balancing factor.

Congress, however, is confident that Ajit Jogi is no more a factor and there is a strong under-current in favour of the Congress. AICC general secretary P L Punia, who is in charge of Chhattisgarh, said he is confident that his party would wrest power after 15 years of BJP misrule with a comfortable margin.

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