Raman Singh battles 15-year anti-incumbency with mixed fiscal track record

State's fiscal deficit rises, but debt and interest burden remain under control

Raman Singh, the three-term chief minister of Chhattisgarh, is likely to face an uphill political battle. Not only does he have to confront a 15-year anti-incumbency, but he also has to deal with stretched government finances and a state economy that is slowing down.

Chhattisgarh’s gross state domestic product (GSDP) slowed down to 6.65 per cent in 2017-18, from a high of 9.8 per cent in 2013-14, according to data compiled by NITI Aayog. The government's budget documents project a higher fiscal deficit in the medium term, from 2.8 per cent of GSDP in 2018-19 to 3.5 per cent in