None of the Chandulals from Mahasamund lok Sabha constituency withdrew nomination till the last day of withdrawals on Saturday. In all, 30 candidates are still in the battlefield. Twelve candidates have withdrawn their names in Rajnandgaon.
Election in Mahasamund, Rajnandgaon and Kanker lok Sabha seats is to be held in the second phase. On the last date for withdrawal of nominations, eight candidates - Human Banjare, Gaukaran Sahu, Bhagatram Bariha, Balakram Sonvani, Shankar Ratre, Santosh Kumar Gayakwad, Ramsharan Tandon and Bhuvneshwari Kurre - withdrew their names from Mahasamund.
Interestingly, 10 candidates of the same name of BJP candidate Chandulal Sahu are in the election field in Mahasamund, of which 7 are Chandulals and 3 Chandurams. It was said that none of them has withdrawn his name on the last date of withdrawal of nomination. It has also been said that they have been fielded in the election to cut into the votes of the BJP candidate. BJP strategists had tried to appease these candidates and return them from the field, but could not contact any of them. Gaukaran Sahu, a supporter of independent candidate Dr Vimal Chopra, has withdrawn his name. Earlier, Dr Chopra had fielded him as a candidate. Total 38 candidates were in the seat and after withdrawal of nominations, still there are 30 candidates, including Congress candidate former chief minister Ajit Jogi.
On the other hand, 26 candidates had filed their nominations from Rajnandgaon lok Sabha seat. On Saturday, 13 candidates withdrew their names. So, there are only 13 candidates in the field now. From the high profile seat of Rajnandgaon, chief minister Dr Raman Singh’s son Abhishek Singh is in the field as the BJP candidate. In Kanker lok Sabha seat total 11 persons had filed their nominations. Here BJP candidate and former minister Vikram Usendi has direct fight with Congress’ Phulodevi Netam.