The humdrum of campaigning for the second phase of Assembly polls fell silent on Sunday evening even as the candidates made their last ditch efforts to woo electorate in their favour. Now, the candidates have been left with 24 hours to conduct door to door canvassing before the voters could seal their fate in Electronic Voting Machines on Tuesday.
Notably, people of Chhattisgarh will vote on Tuesday to elect their representatives for the 72 Assembly constituencies slated to go to hustings in second phase on November 19.
In these constituencies more than 30 constituencies are also included where not only Bharatiya Janata Party heavyweights and Cabinet colleagues of Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh but Opposition Congress bigwigs are also locked in direct contests. While the fates of three members of Raman Cabinet — Chief Minister himself, Child and Family Welfare Minister lata Usendi and Forest Minister Vikram Usendi, have been already sealed in EVMs in the first phase of polling on November 11 last, fates of nine Ministers of the outgoing Cabinet, PWD and School Education Minister Brijmohan Agrawal, Housing and Environment Minister Rajesh Munat, Health, Urban Administration and Commercial Tax Minister Amar Agrawal, Home and Co-operative Minister Nankiram Kanwar, Agriculture Minister Chandra Shekhar Sahu (Champu Bhaiyya), Rural Development Minister Hemchand Yadav, Food Minister Punnulal Mohle, Water Resources and Higher Education Minister Ramvichar Netam and Revenue Minister Dayaldas Baghel have been caught into multi-cornered fights.
Congress candidate and Raipur Mayor Kiranmoyee Nayak is contesting against BJP candidate Brijmohan Agrawal from Raipur (South) constituency with record number of 38 candidates vying for the seat. Congress candidate Vikas Upadhyay is testing his luck against Housing and Environment minister Rajesh Munat from Raipur West Constituency from where total 15 candidates are in the fray.
From Raipur Rural, Congress stalwart and Minister in Ajit Jogi Cabinet Satyanarayan Sharma is fighting for his comeback against BJP sitting MlA Nankumar Sahu even as total 12 candidates are contesting for the seat. In Raipur North Constituency Congress sitting MlA Kuldip Singh Juneja is once again seeking people’s mandate amid 14 candidates which also include BJP State vice president Shrichand Sundarani.
Senior member of Raman Cabinet Amar Agrawal is fighting against Bilaspur Mayor Vani Rao from Bilaspur constituency even as total 15 candidates are testing electoral fortune from the seat. Agriculture minister Chandra Shekhar Sahu is fighting against his old rival Dhanendra Sahu from Abhanpur assembly constituency amid presence of 11 candidates. Rural Development Minister Hemchand Yadav is fighting against Congress candidate Arun Vora and 16 others from Durg city assembly constituency. Food minister in Raman Cabinet Punnulal Mohle is again seeking ticket for Assembly from his traditional seat Mungeli from where Congress’ Chandrabhan Barmate and 11 other candidates are also in the race. Raman Cabinet’s senior member Ranvichar Netam is fighting from his home turf Ramanujganj against his traditional rival Brihaspati Singh and 10 others.Home minister Nankiram Kanwar is once again seeking mandate for Assembly berth from his traditional seat Rampur where Congress’ Shyamlal Kanwar and 4 others are presenting multi cornered contest. Revenue Minister Dayaldas Baghel is seeking another term for Assembly from Nawagarh (SC) seat against Congress’ Anita Patre and six others.
Other VIP constituencies from where BJP as well as Congress stalwarts are locked in multi corner fight included Marwahi from where Congress youth leader and son of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, Amit Jogi is seeking mandate for his maiden entry in to the Assembly amid presence of nine other candidates including BJP’s Sameera Paikra.
From lormi constituency Dharamjit Singh of Congress is seeking re-election against BJP’s Tokhan Sahu and 15 other rivals. Assermbly Speaker Dharamlal Kaushik is again trying his luck from Bilha constituency from where Congress candidate Siyaram kaushik and 13 other are also in the race.
Dr Renu Jogi, wife of former CM Ajit Jogi is seeking re election from her home constituency Kota against BJP’s Kashi Sahu and six other rivals. From Saja, leader of the Congress legislature party in the outgoing Assembly Ravindra Choubey is seeking mandate against seven rival including BJP’s labh Chand Bafna. In Kharsiya Congress candidate Umesh Patel, son of slain CGPCC president Nandkumar Patel, who fell victim to Maoist at Jeeram Valley on May 25, is seeking maiden entry in to the Assembly against seven candidates including BJP’s Dr Jawahar Nayak.
From Beltara Assembly constituency Badridhar Diwan of Bharatiya Janata Party is seeking election against 16 candidates including Congress party candidate Bhuvneshwar Yadav, Former minister Dr Krishna Murti Bandhi of BJP is seeking re election from his traditional seat Masturi from where Congress Dilip lahariya and 11 other candidates are also testing their electoral fortune.BJP stalwart Ajay Chandrakar is fighting against Congress sitting MlA lekhram Sahu on Kurud Assembly seat from where 10 others are also in the race. From janjgir-Champa deputy speaker of Vidhan sabha Narayan Chandel is contesting against 15 others including Congress party’s Motilal Dewangan.
From Chandrapur seat, Dilip Singh Judeo’s son Yudhveer is fighting against Nobel Verma, who joined Congress recently after quitting NCP, from Chandrapur seat where total 16 candidates are vying for tentry in to Assembly.
Amitesh Shukla of Congress is fighting from his traditional seat Rajim against Santosh Upadhyay of BJP and nine others. From Bhilai prestigious Assembly seat former VS speaker Dr Prem Prakash Pandey is seeking mandate against Congress sitting MlA B D Qureshi as 16 other candidates are also contesting the seat. In Ambikapur, Congress State Vice President T S Singhdeo is seeking re-election against BJYM leader and BJP candidate Anurag Sighdeo besides 11 other rivals.
From Pratappur constituency BJP state president Ramsevak Paikra is seeking re election against Congress stalwart Prem sai Singh Tekam where as from Bhatapara Shivratan Sharma is fighting against Congress candidate Chaitram Sahu and 10 others after losing to terms. Congress candidate Mohammad Akbar is fighting from Kawardha seat against BJP candidate Ashokm Sahu and nine others.