Chhattisgarh assembly elections: Congress’s welfare push vs BJP's infrastructure promise

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Monday announced that the Chattissgarh assembly election will be held in two phases. All 90 seats will go to polls on November 7th and November 17th.

The counting of votes will be done on December 3, along with Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana.

Will Congress be able to repeat its sweep of 2018? Or can BJP reclaim lost ground on the back of a determined campaign by the central leadership ?Politics in Chhattisgarh has always been bipolar, but a tribal force has emerged in the run-up to these assembly polls, threatening to disrupt equations.

Where they stand

BJP

Hindutva remains its main plank, but the BJP’s success will depend on how well it manages to convince rural voters this time. Its electoral pitch includes the infrastructure development that it carried out during its 15 years in office and alleged corruption under Congress. BJP has yet to come up with a CM face.

CONGRESS
With its own brand of soft Hindutva, coupled with invocation of Chhattisgarhi pride and massive social sector interventions, Congress hopes to convince voters to return it to office. Having CM Bhupesh Baghel, an OBC leader, may be an advantage, but there is anti-incumbency against its MLAs.

Key issues

Paddy Support Price Paddy cultivators here have consistently demanded a fair price for their produce, which both the major parties have tried to address from time to time. In 2018, Congress promised Rs 2,500 per quintal MSP for paddy and pledged to pay the difference as agricultural input subsidy.

Infrastructure

With the Congress government mainly focusing on farmers’ welfare and other social sector spending, infrastructure development has been a challenge in the last five years. At least in urban areas, the development of roads and other infrastructure could become an issue.

Jal-Jungle-Jameen

A continuing focus for tribal areas, both in Chhattisgarh’s southern Bastar and the northern area of Surguja. Coal mining and environmental concerns are contentious issues in Surguja. A newly formed political outfit of tribals is trying its electoral luck on these issues.

Corruption

Controversy over alleged nepotism and corruption in state Public Service Commission (PSC) selections has reached the high court and is part of campaign speeches of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Besides, there are allegations of a liquor scam and a coal levy scam.

Main players

Bhupesh Baghel- Congress

Seeking office for a second term, he has to overcome challenges from within the Congress and attacks from the opposition. He faces voters on the strength of his pro-farmer, pro-poor policies and the courage to take on the mighty BJP.

Raman Singh- BJP

Had a rather smooth tenure as CM for 15 years before being routed in 2018. Remains BJP’s only pan-Chhattisgarh leader and is seemingly indispensable in this election, but the party is yet to project anyone as its CM candidate.


T S Singhdeo- Congress

The maharaja of the erstwhile Surguja state was a co-frontrunner for the top post after the 2018 win. Now the deputy CM, he could be in focus again in the post-poll scenario if Congress returns.