Battle of Baghels: CM lagging behind, BJP nephew leading in early trends
Battle of Baghels: The electoral battlefield in Chhattisgarh witnessed a compelling family duel as early reports showed BJP's Vijay Baghel, a Lok Sabha MP from Durg, surging ahead of his uncle and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in the Patan Assembly seat. This contest marks the third time the Baghels have contested each other politically.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, representing the Congress party, found himself trailing in a nail-biting race against his nephew Vijay Baghel, who stands as a BJP candidate. Vijay Baghel's prominence in the Durg region, coupled with his resonance among the youth, posed a formidable challenge to his seasoned uncle's political stronghold.
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Amidst this electoral showdown, Chhattisgarh's Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo held a lead in the Ambikapur seat, as per initial reports. The Baghels have previously clashed in electoral battles during 2008 and 2013, each emerging victorious once, making this showdown a significant political chapter in their rivalry.
While Bhupesh Baghel boasts a strong track record with five consecutive wins from Patan since 1993, Vijay Baghel's regional influence and youth appeal make him a potent contender. Adding spice to the Patan fight is Amit Jogi, the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) state president and son of the late former CM Ajit Jogi.
Exit polls, including the India Today-My Axis poll, predicted a Congress win in Chhattisgarh with a neck-and-neck competition with the BJP. Other parties, such as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Gondvana Gantantra Party (GGP), are anticipated to secure between one to five seats, as per the India Today-Axis My India exit poll.
Expressing confidence in Congress' victory, Deputy CM TS Singh Deo stated, "We are very confident that the Congress will form a government with a comfortable majority," shortly after the exit polls.
Counting of votes for the Chhattisgarh assembly elections commenced at 8 am. The state conducted voting for its 90-member Assembly in two phases on November 7 and November 17.
A total of 1,181 candidates, including CM Bhupesh Baghel, his deputy TS Singh Deo (both from Congress), and former CM Raman Singh of the BJP, are in the electoral fray. Postal ballot counting preceded the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tally, commencing at 8 am in the presence of officials and representatives from political parties.
- With inputs from agencies
