C'garh: Eight nominations filed for Bastar Lok Sabha seat

A total of eight candidates have filed their nominations to contest from naxal-hit Bastar Lok Sabha seat in Chhattisgarh, which will vote exclusively in the first phase on April 11, till the last day of submission Monday.

The nominations for the first phase will be scrutinised on Tuesday, while the date of withdrawal from the fray is March 28.

All the eight nominees, including Congress Dipak Baij, BJP's Baiduram Kashyap and Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP's) Aaytu Ram Mandavi, filed their nomination papers on Monday, a poll official said.

Some of the candidates who had already filed their nominations, submitted a second set of nomination papers on Monday, he said.

A total 13,61,146 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase for which 1878 polling booths have been set up, the official said.

The ruling Congress has pinned its hopes on tribal leader and ChitrakotMLA Baij to win Bastar seat.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel accompanied Baij for filing his nomination papers.

The BJP has fielded former Chitrakot MLA Baiduram Kashyap.

Kahsyap was accompanied by former chief minister and BJP national vice president Raman Singh.

Elections for rest 10 Lok Sabha seats will be held in two phases on April 18 and April 23.

A total of 26 candidates have so far filed their nomination for Mahasamund (9), Kanker (7) and Rajnandgaon (10) seats, which will vote during the second phase.

The deadline to file nominations for the second phase is March 26.

The notification for the last phase of the polling for seven seatswill be issued on March 28, the official said.

These seats are: Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Raigarh (ST), Korba, Janjgir-Champa (SC) and Surguja (ST).

Altogether, 1,91,16,285 voters, including 94,38,463 women and 709 members of the third gender, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the 11 seats.