BJP does a hat-trick in Chhattisgarh

BJP today posted a hat-trick of wins in Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, thwarting a spirited comeback bid by Congress which failed to wrest power in the state after a decade despite a sympathy factor following the massacre of its top leaders in May this year.
After a see-saw battle through the day during which Congress at times appeared coasting to victory, BJP managed to retain the mineral-rich state winning 49 seats in the 90-member House.
BJP's tally, despite being in power for 10 years, fell just one short of the identical number of 50 seats it had won in 2003 and 2008 under Raman Singh.

Congress, which won 37 seats in 2003 and 38 in 2008, marginally bettered its performance bagging 39 seats this time.
Chief Minister Raman Singh, the soft-spoken BJP satrap, with his assiduously cultivated image of a moderate leader, won the day for the saffron party largely on the strength of his work for the poor, though Narendra Modi effect also appeared to have come into play.
BJP's prime ministerial contender had carpet-bombed the state with scores of rallies during his high-pitch campaign.

The landmark food security law enacted by Raman Singh government, the first anywhere in the country, poll watchers feel, provided the bedrock for Ayurvedic doctor-turned- politician's return to power for a third time.

Under the Chhattisgarh food law, the state government has been providing 35 kg of food grains per month to 42 lakh poor families at Rs 1-2 per kg, earning Singh the epithet of 'chaur wale baba' (The Rice Man).
Chhattisgarh's scheme outdoes the Central law under which 5 kg of rice, wheat and coarse cereals would be provided every month per person at Rs 3, Rs 2 and Re 1, respectively, to 67 per cent of the country's population.
"It is a historic day and I express my gratitude to the people of the state for showing faith in the development done by the BJP," Singh told reporters as his party was poised to secure a majority after a closely-contested battle.