The curious case of a Chhattisgarh village that elects two legislators

This month, there will be two phases for the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly to hold elections. The first-phase elections will be held on November 7 in 20 seats, including Rajnandgaon. The remaining 70 constituencies, including Durg rural, will vote in the second phase of the elections on November 17

Candidates from two constituencies are visiting a village with a population of just 5,000 people in an attempt to garner support ahead of the forthcoming Chhattisgarh assembly elections.

Anjora village is situated on the boundary separating the districts of Rajnandgaon and Durg.

Roads roughly divide the village's areas into halves, which fall under the two districts. The Durg Rural constituency has oversight for the homes on the other side of the street, while the Rajnandgaon constituency is in charge of the properties on one side of the street.

The village, located around 10 km from Durg town on the Mumbai-Howrah National Highway-53 between Durg and Rajnandgaon cities, is also governed by two panchayats – Anjora village panchayat (Rajnandgaon) and Anjora ‘kh (B)’ village panchayat (Durg).

Candidates from the Durg Rural and Rajnandgaon constituencies are travelling to Anjora to canvass ahead of the polls because of the interesting juxtaposition.

"Sometimes people get confused as candidates from both constituencies visit the village for campaigning. Posters and banners of candidates can be seen in the entire village irrespective of constituencies (among the two) from which they have been contesting. It is said the village elects two MLAs," quipped Anju Sahu, sarpanch of Anjora panchayat (Rajandgaon side).

Despite the streets dividing the village, residents have co-existed peacefully and shared celebrations of holidays and other occasions, according to Sahu, a Congress leader as well.

Sahu stated that although her in-laws vote for the Rajnandgaon constituency, her paternal house is in the Anjora B area, which supports the Durg rural seat.

This month, there will be two phases for the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly to hold elections. The first-phase elections will be held on November 7 in 20 seats, including Rajnandgaon. The remaining 70 constituencies, including Durg rural, will vote in the second phase of the elections on November 17.

The spouse of Anjora B panchayat sarpanch Sangeeta Sahu, Makhanlal Sahu, said that Rajnandgaon district was created in 1973 following its separation from Durg district (which was formerly a part of Madhya Pradesh). The village was split into two panchayats after that.

According to him, the village's boundaries were drawn so that half of it falls into one constituency and the other half into the other segment for assembly seats.

According to him, there are other families in the village where half of the members were required to vote for Durg Rural and the other half for the Rajnandangaon seat.

Both Rajnandgaon and Durg Rural are prominent constituencies where high-profile candidates like former chief minister Raman Singh and the state's incumbent Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu are in the fray, according to a PTI report.

Congress has nominated Girish Dewanagn, the current chairman of the Chhattisgarh State Mineral Development Corporation, against Raman Singh, the BJP nominee from his present Rajnandgaon seat.

Congress, the party in power, has fielded minister Sahu, a well-known OBC leader from the Durg rural seat, while BJP has fielded Lalit Chandrakar, a fresh face.