Modi factor elusive in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: As debate rages on the impact of 'Modi factor' in the just-concluded assembly elections in four states, the Bharatiya Janata Party seems to have made no significant gains in the 12 districts in Chhattisgarh, which account for 53 of 90 assembly seats, where Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, campaigned aggressively.
Bharatiya Janata Party, which held 28 of these 53 seats in 2008, managed to increase its tally by only two seats (30) in the current polls, but at the same time suffered losses in tribal areas of Bastar and Kanker.
However, when it comes to 12 constituencies where Narendra Modi addressed rallies, Bharatiya Janata Party's tally remained the same as 2008, with victory in 7 seats, and loss of five seats to Congress.
Interestingly, though the analysis of election data does not reflect existence of any 'Modi wave', Narendra Modi's strike rate, winning the seats where he addressed election rallies, was better than the combined performance of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
While Modi addressed rallies in 12 constituencies and managed to win 7, a strike rate of 58.33%, the Gandhi duo addressed public meetings in seven constituencies and managed to win 4, a strike rate of 57.14%. The seven constituencies where Modi addressed rallies and Bharatiya Janata Party won were -Kurud, Raipur (S), Raigarh, Kavardha, Bemetara, Dongargarh, Jagdalpur.
The party lost at Mahasamund, Bilha, Korba, Kanker, Durg city.
The Bharatiya Janata Party made major gains in Mahasamund and Dhamtari districts, winning 5 of the 7 seats as compared to 0 in 2008.
However, these gains were set off from the party's losses in Bastar, Kanker and Rajnandgaon districts where it won only 4 of the 12 seats, as compared to 10 in the last elections.
For the Congress, Rahul Gandhi's strike rate was 50%, winning two of the four constituencies visited by him.
While the Congress won from its bastions Kanker and Kharsia, it lost Rajnandgaon and Raipur South.
However, if one takes a look at the 21 constituencies falling in the four districts visited by the scion of the Gandhi family, the Congress improved it's tally by 2 seats to 10, from 8 in 2008.
Sonia Gandhi's individual strike rate was however the best at 66% but she visited only three constituencies. While her party won from Kondagaon and Ambikapur, it lost from Bhilai.
Of the 11 seats falling in these three districts, the Congress tally went up from five in 2008 to 7 this time.
Where NaMo magic worked
Seats BJP won Seats BJP lost
KurudMahasamund
Raipur (S)Bilha
RaigarhKorba
Kavardha Kanker
BemetaraDurg city
Dongargarh
Jagdalpur