Chhattisgarh Election 2023: After a long wait, Congress has released the first list of candidates for Chhattisgarh Assembly elections. The Congress party gave tickets to many ministers including the Chief Minister and Deputy CM in the first list. A change has also been made in the seat of a minister. The most unique thing is that Congress has fielded its MP Deepak Baij on the lines of opposition BJP.
It is noteworthy that BJP has fielded MPs and ministers in the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. His nephew Vijay Baghel is contesting the Parliament elections against Bhupesh Baghel. In such a situation, Congress has also expressed confidence in Sansad Deepak Baij in its first list.
In the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly, Congress has declared candidates for 19 seats for 20 seats in Bastar and Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituencies, out of which confidence has been expressed on ‘women power’ on 4 seats. Tickets of 7 new faces and 8 MLAs have been cut in the list.
Congress has given priority to male candidates in place of three women MLAs in its first list. These include Neelkanth Chandravanshi in place of Mamta Chandrakar from Pandariya, Bholaram Sahu in place of Chhani Sahu from Khujji and Chhabindra Karma in place of Devati Karma from Dantewada. Whereas on Dongargarh seat, Harshita Baghel has been given a chance in place of Bhuneshwar Baghel. Along with this, the party has maintained its trust in Yashoda Verma from Khairagarh, Savitri Mandavi from Bhanupratappur and Anil Bhediya from Daundilohara. In place of Devati Karma from Karma family, her son Chhaviendra Karma has now been given a chance on Dantewada seat.
All the big faces of the state in the first list of Congress
Most of the names in the first list of Chhattisgarh Congress are popular. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will contest from his seat Patan. Whereas TS Singhdev will contest from Ambikapur. The Congress list includes Assembly Speaker Charandas Mahant, Ravindra Choubey, Tamradhwaj Sahu, Mohd. The names of many MLAs include Akbar, Shiv Dahria, Guru Rudra Kumar, Mohan Markam, Amarjeet Bhagat, Umesh Patel, Jaisingh Aggarwal. Congress has expressed confidence in the present ministers of Chhattisgarh. With the ticket announcement there is some joy and some sadness. There is disappointment among the MLAs due to ticket cancellation.
Change of seat for one minister, no ticket for 8 MLAs
There are names of 30 candidates in the first list of Congress. Candidates have been announced for 19 seats and 11 other seats in the first phase of elections. According to the released list, 6 new faces have been given a chance and tickets of 7 MLAs have been cut. The name has not come yet for Jagdalpur seat. The seat of Minister Guru Rudra Kumar has been changed. From Dantewada, his son Chhabindra Karma in place of Devati Karma, from Pandariya, Neelkanth Chandravanshi in place of Mamta Chandrakar, from Dongargarh, Harshita Swami Baghel, in Khujji, Bholaram Sahu in place of Chhani Sahu, from Antagarh, Roopsingh Potai in place of Anoop Nag, from Kanker, in place of Shishupal Sori. Name Shankar Dhruva is included. Whereas from Chitrakote, MP Deepak Baij has been made the candidate in place of MLA Rajman Benjamin.
Girish against Raman, Vijay against Bhupesh
Patan and Rajnandgaon are the most high profile seats in the assembly elections. Congress has fielded Mineral Development Corporation Chairman Girish Dewangan from Rajnandgaon Assembly seat. Whereas BJP’s National Vice President and former Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh is the candidate from Bharatiya Janata Party from Rajnandgaon seat. Similarly, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will contest from Patan seat in Durg district. BJP has fielded his own nephew MP Vijay Baghel against him. Ravindra Choubey has been given ticket from Saja assembly seat. BJP has given ticket against him to Ishwar Sahu, father of the youth killed in Biranpur communal violence.