Chhattisgarh headed for polling in two phases on November 12 and November 20. The tenure of the current Assembly is slated to end on January 5, 2019.
A party requires 46 seats to for a simple majority.
The voter turnout in Chhattisgarh was 76.35 percent against 77.40 percent in 2013. The two-phase voting happened after weeks of intense campaigning by state-level leaders from both sides and national level leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National President Amit Shah and Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
The state, created in the year 200, has been governed by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government since 2003. Chief Minister Raman Singh has occupied the top office in the state for three terms. If Singh is able to retain power, he would have achieved a rear feat of winning a fourth term.
Congress did not project a chief ministerial face. The campaign was led by state unit President Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader TS Deo.
Congress is hoping to come to power in the state. However, former chief minister Ajit Jogi-led Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) which has a tie-up with Mayawati’s BSP, could play a spoiler.
Chief Minister probable Tamradhwaj Sahuhas threatened to resign from the party if not made the CM, News18has reported quoting sources. Sahu is one of the four front-runners for the top post, along with state chief Bhupesh Baghel, Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Assembly TS Singh Deo and former Union minister Charan Das Mahant.
Mallikarjun Kharge, the observer appointed for Chhattisgarh, said that RahulGandhi will decide the Chief Minister and announce his decision tomorrow, News18has reported.
With the appointment of KamalNath as the Chief Minister of MadhyaPradesh and Ashok Gehlot for Rajasthan, Chhattisgarhis the only state which is yet to get its CM. Probables for the post,Bhupesh Baghel, TS Singh Deo and Charan Das Mahant had reportedly had a meeting with Congress president RahulGandhi in Delhi today. While Baghel and Singh Deo are considered to be front-runners, Tamradhwaj Sahu is being considered as the dark horse.
Chhattisgarh CM probable TS Singh Deo has been called to Delhi, News18 has reported.
Congress-appointed observer Mallikarjun Kharge has said that the meeting with Congress president RahulGandhi "has been postponed for tomorrow". He said that a decision regarding the state's CM candidate will be taken tomorrow.
MallikarjunKhargeand P.L.Puniahave reached Congress presidentRahulGandhi's residence,News18has reported.Khargehas been appointed as the observer forChhattisgarhwhilePuniais the general secretary in-charge.
Post the rout in three Hindi heartland states of MadhyaPradesh, Chhattisgarhand Rajasthan, the BJP has decided in its officer bearers' meet that PM Modiwould tour 122 constituencies where the BJP presence is poor, News18has reported. The saffron party has decided to focus on organisational strength.
Clashes have broken outside Congress state chief BhupeshBaghel's residence, News18has reported. Baghelis at a frontrunnerfor the Chief Ministerial post in the state.
higher number of women representatives
Of the 90 members elected to the assembly, 13 are women, three more than the last Assembly.
The number of youth leaders, meanwhile, has increased a by a good10. The 2013 Assembly had six MLAs between the ages of 25-40 as opposed to the newly-elected Assembly, which has over 16 legislators in that age group.
