Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is heading towards a thumping majority in the Chhattisgarh assembly elections. As per the latest statistics put up on the Election Commission of India (ECI) website, the saffron party is leading on more than half of the seats in the state of Chhattisgarh.
The latest trends on the ECI website suggest that the Narendra Modi-led party is leading on as many as 54 seats in the 90-seat state assembly, paving the way for its return to power after a five-year drought.
At the same time, the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress party seems to have been hit by a huge anti-incumbency wave, as the grand old party has so far taken the lead on only 33 seats. The other three seats of the 90 seats assembly so far seem to be going in the favor of the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP), Bahujan Samaj Party and the Communist Party of India.
According to the latest trends, the BJP has made huge gains in the tribal dominated Sarguja and Jashpur region of northern Chhattisgarh where many stalwarts of the Congress and the BJP have locked horns with each other. Interestingly, the Deputy Chief Minister, and party’s stalwart T.S. Singhdeo is also reported to be trailing from the Ambikapur constituency.
Meanwhile, the Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Renuka Devi who is contesting from Bharatpur Sonhat seat of the Surguja Division is also reported to be leading with a margin of 5000 votes. Another senior BJP leader, Prabodh Minj whose candidature was in doubt over protest from the party workers has also reported to have taken a significant lead from the Lundra constituency. Minj is considered a prominent minority face of the saffron party.
BJP made inroads in Maoist infested Bastar Division
The BJP has also reported making significant gains in the Maoist-affected Bastar division of the state. As per the latest trends, senior BJP leader Kedar Kashyap is leading from the Narayanpur constituency while the BJP candidate from Dantewada constituency is also reported to be leading with a significant margin. BJP candidate from Jagdalpur, Kiran Deo is also reported to be leading ahead of the Indian National Congress (INC) candidate, Jeetan Jaiswal.
It is to be noted that a number of BJP functionaries including BJP’s Narayanpur vice president Sagar Sahu was killed in targeted killings carried out by the extremists in Maoist affected regions before the election.
Raman Singh slams Congress rule
Meanwhile, reflecting his views on the trends, former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Raman Singh, while interacting with the media, said, “Today is an unprecedented day for Chhattisgarh. I have been saying that BJP’s majority is hidden in the exit polls itself, which turned out to be true.”
“I have been saying that ‘andhera chatega, Suraj niklega aur Kamal khilega’ (Darkness will fade away, Sun will rise and lotus will bloom) so lotus has been bloomed in all the three states (MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh). We are on the way to forming a government in all three states,” said the former CM.
VIDEO | "Today is an unprecedented day for Chhattisgarh. I have been saying that BJP's majority is hidden in the exit polls itself, which turned out to be true. We are on the way of forming government in all three states (MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh)," says former Chhattisgarh… pic.twitter.com/PyYlFiNZQF
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 3, 2023
“There is no doubt that those who were making taller claims have been rejected by the people. The people have rejected the Congress government and its ministers and have blessed and supported the BJP”, added the BJP stalwart.
Meanwhile, earlier, the BJP state president Arun Sao while interacting with the media, said “In the last five years, Congress has destroyed Chhattisgarh. People of Chhattisgarh know that only the BJP can protect the state and that’s why they will give their blessings to us.”
VIDEO | Chhattisgarh elections 2023: "In the last five years, Congress has destroyed Chhattisgarh. People of Chhattisgarh know that only the BJP can protect the state and that's why they will give their blessings to us," says Chhattisgarh BJP president @ArunSao3.… pic.twitter.com/MvGb8cjNGf
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 3, 2023
It is to be noted that the Narendra Modi led party seems to be heading towards forming governments in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh as the saffron party has so far secured a majority in all three states in the trends put up by the ECI as of now. Meanwhile, the Congress party has so far gained a clear majority in the trends out for Telangana.
