Chhattisgarh polls: Congress confident, BJP anxious

Raipur, November 21

After heavy turnout in two rounds of assembly polls in State, the ruling BJP and principal opposition Congress are busy in seat calculations, though the latter is brimming with confidence and hopes to form government this time while the former looks anxious and waiting with bated breath whether people would accept its development card and give it clear mandate or not. However, controlling their emotions, the leaders of both the parties claim to win over 50 seats of 90-member legislative assembly. The verdict of Chhattisgarh and four other poll-bound states will be announced on December 8.

Before polling, both BJP and Congress had claimed of swinging the electorate in their favour. The BJP banked on pro-incumbency factor while the Congress hoped of miracle earning it power with sympathy wave in its side in wake of May 25 Darbha incident and prevalence of anti-incumbency factor.

The turnout in 18 constituencies in first phase was 75.53%. The BJP was taken aback by high voting percent as it knew that people in such number would never vote in its favour when development in their region was proportionately much less than other parts of the State.

The congress, on the other hand, termed heavy turnout under tight security sans naxal violence as an indication of its victory. Of 18 seats in first phase, the BJP has 15 and Congress has three. After polls, the BJP is estimating loss of three to four seats while Congress is counting gain of five. The major reason behind confidence of Congress is AICC secretary and spokesperson Bhakta Charandas who stayed in Bastar region for almost one month and canvassed intensely.

The BJP started second phase of campaigning with amended tactics. This time, it kept state affairs at bay and raised Central issues. In addition, the BJP dubbed former CM Ajit Jogi as hidden CM candidate of Congress and simultaneously asked it to project its leader. The objective was to take psychological advantage of polarised Congress that had somewhat managed to cope with infighting just before polls. Contrarily, the Congress kept on hitting the ruling party on State issues.

Consequently, the voting in second phase jumped to 78.50%. Of 72 seats in second round, the BJP has 35, Congress 36 and BSP one. The BJP says the seat-loss it incurred in Bastar and Rajnandgaon in first phase will be compensated by seat-gain in Mahasamund, Dhamtari and Durg districts. The Congress too hopes of taking lead in Koria, Jashpur, Korba and Raipur districts.

Of total 90 seats, statisticians of BJP hope to get 51 while that of Congress are expecting to win 54. The political pundits, on the other hand, think that both the parties would get around 44-46 seats while a couple will go to third party. The BJP is tensed by such conjectures while Congress is smiling.