Assembly elections are to be held in Chhattisgarh and considering the important role of tribal voters in forming the government, the political parties of the state have started trying to woo the tribal voters in their favor. In Chhattisgarh, it is believed that it is difficult to form a government in the state without the blessings of the tribal community, which constitutes about 32 percent of the population. In the assembly elections held so far in the state, whichever party has got the support of the tribals, has come to power. BJP, which faced defeat on tribal seats in the 2018 elections, is trying to get the support of tribals in this election.
According to election experts, the recent rallies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief JP Nadda in tribal areas and the launch of the party’s two Parivartan Yatras from tribal areas can be seen as an attempt by the BJP to woo the tribals. Used to be. In the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly, 29 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribe category. In the 2018 elections, Congress had won 25 seats out of the seats reserved for the tribal class and formed the government. The party hopes that due to the government’s schemes it will once again get the support of the tribals.
Election analyst R Krishna Das says, ‘Tribal voters play an important role in forming the government in the state. In the first elections held in Chhattisgarh in 2003 after the formation of the state in 2000, the BJP was successful in making deep inroads among the tribals who were once considered staunch supporters of the Congress. But in the next elections, BJP lost its hold on him. Das said, ‘Apart from anti-incumbency, the party faced problems in the tribal belt due to lack of coordination between top tribal leaders of the BJP and local party workers in their areas and the long-standing left-wing extremism. ‘
During the first assembly elections held in the state in 2003, 34 seats in the 90-member House were reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. The BJP had won 25 of these seats, defeating the Congress government led by then Chief Minister Ajit Jogi. BJP had then got 50 seats. Whereas Congress had won nine tribal seats. After delimitation the number of tribal seats in the state increased to 29. In the 2008 assembly elections, BJP won 19 out of 29 seats and once again formed the government by winning 50 seats. In this election, Congress had won 10 tribal seats.
Later in the 2013 assembly elections, tribal votes went to the Congress and Congress won 18 out of 29 tribal seats. However, even after this Congress could not form the government. Congress’ numbers remained limited to 39 and BJP won 11 tribal seats and formed the government for the third time with 49 MLAs. In 2018, Congress registered a landslide victory by winning 68 seats in the 90-member assembly, ending the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led BJP government. BJP got 15 seats, JCC (J) and BSP got five and two seats respectively.
Of the 29 ST seats in 2018, Congress won 25, BJP three and JCC (J) one. Later, Congress won two more SC reserved seats – Dantewada and Marwahi – in the by-elections. Das said that to come back to power in the state, the BJP is focusing on tribal seats and has fielded its old leaders this time. BJP has so far fielded its candidates on 86 seats, including all 29 ST seats. Six former ministers of the state are among the prominent candidates of the BJP, including one sitting MLA, two sitting Lok Sabha MPs – including one Union Minister, one former Union Minister, three former MLAs, one former IAS officer who recently left his service and joined the BJP. Have joined.
As elections are approaching in Chhattisgarh, BJP’s star campaigners have started visiting tribal dominated areas of the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah addressed party rallies in the Bastar region this month. Meanwhile, party’s national president JP Nadda had flagged off BJP’s second Parivartan Yatra in tribal-dominated Jashpur last month. The party’s first Parivartan Yatra was taken out from tribal-dominated Dantewada district last month.
Senior BJP leader and former minister Kedar Kashyap said, ‘Congress tried to end the reservation of tribals and recruitment in government jobs and admission in institutions remained closed for almost a year. There was a provision to give priority to tribals in recruitment in government jobs in Bastar and Surguja tribal divisions, but after 2018, Congress canceled this provision.. All these issues are being raised by BJP.
When Kashyap was asked how many tribal seats the party could win, he said, ‘There is huge anger among the tribals against the Congress government. We will win all 12 seats of Bastar and 14 seats of Surguja division. The tribals have understood that the Congress government has betrayed them. Out of 29 seats reserved for tribals, 11 are in Bastar division and there are nine tribal reserved seats in Surguja division. Kashyap has been fielded from his traditional Narayanpur seat (ST) in Bastar division.
On BJP raking up the issue of religious conversion in tribal areas ahead of the elections, Kashyap said, “It is a social issue and we oppose such acts… We do not see this issue as an advantage in the elections.” Are. He also alleged that conversion is increasing under the Congress government. In an interview last week, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had expressed confidence that his government has launched many schemes for the tribals, due to which it will win more tribal seats in this election than last time.
The ruling party Congress has announced candidates for all 90 seats. State President Deepak Baij, Ministers Kawasi Lakhma, Anila Bhediya and Mohan Markam are among the prominent tribal faces of Congress in this election. Sarva Adivasi Samaj, a prominent organization of tribal groups, has formed ‘Hamar Raj’ party which has announced 19 candidates. The party had earlier announced to field candidates on 50 seats, including all 29 seats reserved for the tribal community, but is now considering contesting on 60-70 seats.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also trying its luck for the second time in Chhattisgarh. AAP has so far released the names of candidates for 45 seats. In the 2018 assembly elections, AAP had fielded candidates on 85 out of the total 90 seats, but failed to open its account in the state. Voting will be held in the state in two phases on November 7 and 17. In the first phase, voting will be held for 20 assembly constituencies including 12 tribal seats and in the second phase for 70 seats including 17 tribal seats.
