Chhattisgarh Election 2023: First phase in Bastar dominated by religious conversion and tight contests

Chhattisgarh Elections 2023: The outcome of the first phase of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh will be closely watched, as it may set the tone for the broader political landscape in the state.

The Bastar region of Chhattisgarh is poised for a fierce political battle as 12 assembly seats are set to go to vote today. With a total of 20 seats in the state up for grabs in the first phase, Bastar remains a critical battleground due to its unique dynamics, including the issue of religious conversion and candidate selection.

Not One-Sided Like 2018

Of the Bastar region’s 12 seats, 11 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes, while the Jagdalpur seat is unreserved. Interestingly, both the candidates for the Jagdalpur seat from the Congress and the BJP are first timers in assembly elections, but both have served as Mayor of Jagdalpur. The Congress has fielded Jitin Jaiswal, while the BJP has nominated Kiran Dev. Both candidates have faced dissidence against their candidature, with Kiran Dev experiencing more significant opposition.

In the 2018 elections, Dantewada was the only seat won by the BJP in the Bastar Region, with Bhima Mandavi emerging as the victorious candidate. Tragically,Mandavi was killed during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections campaign in an IED blast orchestrated by Maoists. Subsequently, a byelection resulted in Devati Karma, the wife of the late Mahendra Karma (the Salwa Judum founder who was killed by Maoists in 2013), winning the seat for the Congress. This victory solidified the Congress's presence in Bastar, securing all 12 seats in the region.

This year's contest in Dantewada features new faces from both the Congress and the BJP. The Congress has chosen Chhavindra Karma, the son of the late Mahendra Karma, as their candidate, while the BJP has nominated Chetaram Atami. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also competing for votes, making it a closely contested race. However, Chhavindra Karma faces some unpopularity in the urban areas of the constituency.

Religious Conversion And Polarisation

For the Congress, another big contest is the Chitrakote assembly seat where its recently appointed state president, Deepak Baij is seeking re-election. Baij, had won the seat in 2018 but left the membership of the state assembly after he won the Bastar Lok Sabha seat in 2019. He now faces a challenge from the BJP's Vinayak Goel. The issue of tribal conversion to Christianity is a prominent concern in this seat, making the contest intense.

Narayanpur, Kondagaon, and Antagarh are expected to favour the BJP, again over the tribal conversion to Christianity becoming more pronounced in these areas, and communal tensions spiking as a result. On the other hand, Congress hopes to benefit from the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on paddy and the recent farm loan waiver promise in Bhanupratappur, Kanker, and Keshkal.

The Konta assembly seat, once poised for a tough contest, has seen a significant change due to CPI losing its national party status. The CPI's popular candidate, Manish Kunjam, has lost his party's symbol and is now using the air conditioner as his symbol. This could impact his chances of winning.

The Bastar assembly seat seems to be in favour of the Congress, with Lakheshwar Baghel, a sitting MLA from the seat, expected to win despite the BJP having declared a candidate for the seat quite early, in August itself.

Is Congress Losing The Narrative?

The electoral contest in the 12 seats of the Bastar region is currently a neck-and-neck battle. The Congress's candidate selection and the pressing issue of religious conversion are overshadowing the party's narrative, which originally focused on MSP for Minor Forest Produce and Tendu Patta procurement. The people are uncertain about the Congress's stand on the conversion issue, and the police's handling of related violence has added to public frustration.

The incumbent Congress, which swept the region in the previous elections, now appears to be losing some seats due to these pressing issues. Meanwhile, the BJP, which hasn't made significant inroads in the region over the past five years, is capitalising on the issue of tribal religious conversion.

However, the BJP's casual approach and questionable ticket distribution may not be enough to decisively unseat the Congress. The outcome of the first phase of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh will be closely watched, as it may set the tone for the broader political landscape in the state.

Harsh Dubey is a political commentator based in Raipur. Views are personal, and do not represent the stance of the publication.