The strength of the Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) in Chhattisgarh has weakened with the party only security 4.27 per cent vote in the just concluded Assembly election in the State against last year’s 7.75 per cent.
The strength of the party in the State Assembly also reduced to one seat while it had two members in the last Assembly polls held in 2008. The party was able to create a base in the State before the separate Chhattisgarh State was formed in 2000. In 1993 election, the party had secured 7.75 per cent votes. In 1998 and 2003 elections, it managed to get 5.72 and 4.45 per cent votes respectively.
Its strength increased slightly when it secured 6.11 per cent votes in the 2008 election. The percentage of votes has decreased to 4.27 per cent in the recently concluded election. The BSP had fielded candidates in all the 90 Assembly seats but got success only in Jaijepur constituency. Its candidate Keshab Chandra won this seat defeating his nearest rival of Bharatiya Janata Party Dr Kailash Sahu by a margin of 2,579 votes.
BSP State president Sadananda Markandeya, however, refuted that the strength of his party has been decreased in the State. The BSP has presence across the State although it did not translate into seats. He said its candidates had won in Alkatara and Pamgarh seats in the last election. Although they lost both the seats, and managed to win a new one, its candidates however were defeated by thin margin in Chandrapour and Pamgarh, he said. He said BSP will soon convene a meeting and review its performance. It will evaluate the seats where its candidates have lost.