A high-voltage campaigning for the first phase (December 29) of polling for urban bodies ended on Saturday with the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress claimed to have poised for one-sided victory.
In the first phase, polling will be held for 10 Municipal Corporations, 19 Nagar Palika and 22 Nagar Panchayats. Chief Minister Raman Singh has staged road shows and addressed rallies in majority of the urban areas in a desperate bid to improve performance as the BJP had failed to win mayor posts in major towns such as Raipur, Bilaspur and Rajnandgaon, in last election.
While the Congress is looking for a better show despite its top leader in the state and former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi pulled out from campaigning. Sources say that Jogi was virtually forced to stay away from campaigning as his rival groups led by Pradesh Congress Committee chief Bhupesh Baghel denied tickets to Jogi loyalists. Jogi’s decision was a major setback to Congress as he was the lone leader from Congress rank who holds mass appeal in all sections of people.
Meanwhile, State Election Commissioner PC Dalei said that in Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Sukma and Bijapur Nagar Palikas and two Nagar Panchayats Pakhanjur and Antagarh in North Bastar (Kanker) district, the polling will take place from 7 am to 3 pm because of Naxal insurgency issues and security threat to polling parties. While in remaining areas, the polling will take place from 8 am to 5 pm. Dalei said that the voter can produce any of the 17 documents to the polling officer to exercise franchise.
The 17 documents are- Voter's Identity card issued by the Chief Election Commission of India, Bank/post-office passbook with photo, passport, PAN card, Aadhar card, Central/State Government, public sector undertakings service identity cards with photos, pension papers with photos, MNREGA job card, Smart card with photos, driving licence, Freedom fighter's identity card with photo, Centre and State Madhyamik Siksha Mandal's 10th and 12th mark-sheets with photo, Bar council identity card with photo, physically handicapped certificate with photo, Chhattisgarh ration card with photo, Photo identity card of university and college students.