The ruling BJP and Opposition Congress are making an all-out effort to woo voters in seven lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh which go to polls on Thursday, April 24.
While Chief Minister Raman Singh is leaving no stone unturned in his campaign across Chhattisgarh with a resolve to get all the 11 lok Sabha seats won this time round for his party, the Congress has roped in well-known film artists Nagma and Raveena Tandon to campaign for its candidates.
They arrived here on Monday to campaign for party’s candidate for Raipur lok Sabha seat Satyanarayan Sharma.The lok Sabha seats, which will go to polls in Chhattisgarh during the third and final phase of polls in the state are Raipur, Bilaspur, Korba, Durg, Janjgir-Champa, Raigarh, and Surguja.
Chief Minister Raman Singh has been holding a series of rallies and road shows in the constituencies which are going to polls on April 24 for the past several days while addressing at least six public meetings daily. He is scheduled to hold a road show each at Bilaspur on Monday and in Raipur on Tuesday.
The Congress, on the other hand is equally driven to garner maximum seats this time round. Its vice-president Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address a public meeting at Bemetara in Durg lok Sabha constituency on Tuesday.
Sources said the Congress is giving a tough fight to its main rival BJP in Surguja, Korba and Durg lok Sabha constituencies.
The BJP has deputed its senior leaders and ministers including Kedar Kashyap to Surguja and Ajay Chandrakar to Korba to campaign for its candidates,. The party National Joint General Secretary (Organisation) Saudan Singh has been regularly in touch with poll managers and taking stock of the party status in different constituencies.
Similarly the ruling party in the State has sent its senior and prominent leaders of Kanker, Mahasamund and Rajnandgaon to Korba, Surguja and Durg for campaigning in favour of its candidates.
Former Minister Hemchand Yadav who was earlier handling the party’s campaign in Kanker has taken the charge of party’s campaign responsibilities in Durg lok Sabha constituency.
Similarly, Higher Education Minister Prem Prakash Pandey has intensified campaign in his assembly constituency area of Bhilai.The ruling party is already in a upbeat mood after Gujarat chief minister and BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi addressed public meetings at Vishrampur in Surguja lok Sabha constituency, Bilaspur and Bhilai coming under Durg lok Sabha constituency. Party leaders feel, it is also in a comfortable position in Janjgir-Champa, Raipur and Bilaspur constituencies.
The fight seems to be tough for the party in Durg, Surguja and Korba. Initially the BJP had lagged behind in its campaign in Surguja. After several public meetings addressed by chief minister Raman Singh in the area, the situation seems to have improved, they said. Similarly, in Korba lok Sabha seat the status of BJP candidate Banshi lal Mahto has improved significantly. BJP candidate for Durg, Saroj Pandey is also believed to be in a comfortable position now though she is facing a serious protest by the powerful Sahu community. The BJP leaders are giving much of their emphasis on booth level arrangements as they feel it will help them to win the seats.