Chhattisgarh Assembly elections 2023: All you must know before exit polls

The polling for the 90-member Chattisgarh Assembly elections 2023 took place in two phases on November 7 and 17. The contest is between Congress Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and the Bharatiya Janata Party, which lost in 2018 after being in power in the state for 15 years.

The exit polls are expected to be released on Thursday evening.

Why are Chattisgarh elections important?

The elections are important for both of the biggest political parties in India. For the BJP, it holds significance as it will look for a return in a state it held for 15 years. The state was formed in November 2000. In its first three elections, in 2003, 2008 and 2013, the BJP consistently won around fifty seats, while the Congress won between 37 and 39 seats.

For Congress, the election is important as it will aim to retain power. It is believed to be the only state out of the five Congress-ruled states where it is most hopeful of retaining power. It has won most bypolls in the states since the 2018 elections.

When was the polling held for the Chattisgarh Assembly elections 2023?

The polling in Chattisgarh was held in two phases on November 7 and 17. In the first phase, voting was held on 20 seats, including the Bastar division, which is known to be the most Naxal-infested region. The phase recorded a voter turnout of 78 per cent.

The remaining 70 constituencies underwent polling in the second phase. It saw a turnout of 68.15 per cent. Important candidates like Baghel and Deputy CM TS Singh Deo were in the fray in this phase.

What happened in previous Chattisgarh Assembly elections?

In the Chattisgarh Assembly elections 2018, Congress witnessed a landslide victory, winning 68 out of 90 seats. Elected from Patan, Baghel took oath as the CM of the state on December 17. The BJP won 15 seats, 34 less than what it had secured in the previous Assembly polls. Five seats were won by the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh and two by the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Raman Singh, then the CM, won from Rajnanggaon but resigned from his post on December 11, 2018, a day after the declaration of the result. His term was supposed to end on January 5, 2019.

What are the main issues in Chattisgarh Assembly elections 2023?

Several issues are at the heart of the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections 2023. The first is corruption. The BJP has accused the Baghel government of corruption in the state job recruitment in 2021-22. The BJP has accused the state government of favoured relatives and close aides of politicians for the job. They are also accused of favouring businessmen and top officials.

Another important issue is agriculture. The state has 3.8 million farmers. The Congress waived the farmers' loans when it came to power in 2018. It later increased the minimum support price on paddy, which grew heavily in the state, from Rs 2,100 to Rs 2,500.

A scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, was also launched to give financial assistance of Rs 7,000 to each farmer family in the state per annum.

Another important factor is religion. The BJP has accused the state of facilitating "religious conversion" by the missionaries. According to the BJP, it is more prominent in the tribal-dominated areas. The Congress has, however, rejected the charges.

Of the total 90 seats in Chhattisgarh, 29 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs), while ten seats are marked for Scheduled Caste (SC) members.

Who are the heavyweights in the Chattisgarh Assembly elections in 2023?

Congress has fielded Bhupesh Baghel from the Patan constituency. He is the party's face in the elections. Deputy CM Deo is contesting from Ambikapur. Chhattisgarh Congress president and Lok Sabha member of Parliament (MP) from Bastar, Deepak Baij, is fighting from Chitrakot.

For BJP, Raman Singh, the longest-serving CM of the state, is fighting from Rajnandgaon. Former Congress leader Vijay Baghel is contesting against CM Baghel from Patan. State BJP President Aron Sao has been fielded from Lormi.

What are the controversies surrounding Chattisgarh Assembly elections 2023?

Apart from the charges of corruption and conversion, the Mahadev Betting App scandal is among the biggest controversies in the state. Earlier this year, the Enforcement Directorate issued a press release that claimed that CM Baghel took Rs 508 crore from promoters of the betting app.

The Congress party rejected the charges, approached the Election Commission (EC), and asked it to ensure that the enforcement agencies conduct themselves in "strict impartiality". They said that the ED had been "misusing" its power in the state.

The BJP has, however, repeatedly used the charges to target CM Baghel.

Which main parties are contesting in Chattisgarh Assembly elections 2023?

Four main parties are contesting the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections 2023, namely BJP, Congress, Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

BJP has a strong base in the Hindu community in the state. However, its previous rule was marred with charges of corruption.

Congress is hoping to retain power on the back of its farmer-friendly policies and support from tribals. However, there are internal conflicts in leadership.

JCC was formed by Ajit Jogi, former CM, in 2016. It was formed as an alternative for national parties in the state. In the 2018 elections, it won five seats.

BSP has a small presence in the state but finds significant traction among the SCs. In 2018, it won two Assembly seats.