Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018

Chhatisgarh By-Elections 2014

Assembly Consistuency No.	Name of Assembly Consistuency	Polling date	Counting of Votes Date
79	Antagarh	13th September, 2014 (Saturday)	16th September, 2014 (Tuesday)

Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections (II Phase)

The second phase of the Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh that includes 72 constituencies began on 19 November, 2013 at 8 in the morning.

In order to assure a fair conduct of election process 3,000 surveillance cameras have been installed at the polling booths. 80,000 Election Commission officials and 100,000 security forces have been positioned especially in the zones under the risk of Naxal attack.

In the first phase of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, 75.53% of voters had turned up to vote but in the second phase only 30 % have been registered till 12 p.m. on Tuesday.

Chhattisgarh Elections: Poor turnout in first phase

As the first phase of assembly elections in the state of Chhattisgarh drew to a close, there was very little for the Election Commission to cheer about. The terror maintained by the Maoists resulted in poor voter turnout (30-35%), while a CRPF jawan lost his life during cross-firing in the sensitive Dantewada district. The police did manage to foil an attempt to disrupt the democratic machinery, as they recovered 20 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from the districts of Sukma, Kanker, Dantewada, and Narayanpur.

Voting begins in Chhattisgarh

The first phase of Chhattisgarh elections is underway as several of the constituencies get to choose the "None of the Above" option for the first time in India. As expected, there was minor disturbance caused by the Maoists, who injured one BSF personnel and looted the EVMs in Kanker. Political mudslinging is also on, as two Congress party workers reported that they were attacked by unidentified men, blaming the BJP for plotting the attack.

Chhattisgarh Election 2013

The Chhattisgarh Assembly elections are due in two phases. The first phase will be held on November 11 in 18 constituencies, while the second will see polling in the rest on November 19. In the first phase, Rajnandgaon seat along with 17 other constituencies in Bastar, Dantewada, Sukma, Bijapur, Kondagaon, Kanker, Narayanpur and Rajnandgaon districts will go to the polls. The Election Commission has termed these 18 constituencies as Maoist militancy-affected areas. In the second phase, voters in the remaining 72 constituencies in 16 districts will cast their votes.

It is a fight where the current chief minister, Raman Singh (from Rajnandgaon) could be pitted against Congress hopeful Ajit Jogi. Information is still awaited about whether Ajit Jogi will be fighting the state elections or Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha ones. A recent opinion poll has clearly indicated that it is the current chief minister, Raman Singh, who may help the Bharatiya Janata Party win for the 3rd time, on the basis of the work and progress that he has brought about in the Chhattisgarh State. Raman Singh, 61 years of age and an ayurvedic doctor turned politician, is from the BJP and has been in power since 2003. While Ajit Jogi was the first chief minister of the state when it was carved out of Madhya Pradesh.

Prominent leaders who have already filed their nominations include Premprakash Pandey of BJP and former speaker of the Chhattisgarh Assembly, BJP state spokesperson Srichand Sundarani (Raipur city north), Badruddin Kureshi (Congress), Amit and Renu Jogi (son and wife of Ajit Jogi), Amitesh Shukla (son of late Madhya Pradesh CM, S. C. Shukla) - all from Congress, etc. BJP is likely to win 61-71 seats as per the pre-poll survey conducted by CNN IBN, while Congress may win about 16-24 seats.

Chhattisgarh Assembly Election Schedule 2013

Last Updated on : October 12, 2018