Chhattisgarh and Mizoram to Vote Today: Key Points
New Delhi: Today, the states of Chhattisgarh and Mizoram will go to polls to choose their next government, a crucial election for both the Congress and the BJP. In Chhattisgarh, it will be the first phase of voting, with the second phase scheduled for 10 days later.
Here are the top 10 points in this important story:
1. Twenty out of Chhattisgarh’s 90 seats will be contested today. Twelve of these seats are located in the Maoist-hit Bastar region, and strict security arrangements have been made. Around 60,000 security personnel have been deployed in this area. In the previous election in 2018, the Congress won 17 seats, while the BJP won two.
2. The main candidates include former Chief Minister Raman Singh from the BJP, as well as Bhawna Bohra, Lata Usendi, and Gautam Uike. From the Congress, Mohammad Akbar, Savitri Manoj Mandavi, former state unit chief Mohan Markam, Vikram Mandavi, and Kawasi Lakhma are also in the race.
3. The ruling Congress party is relying on Bhupesh Baghel, who is credited with revitalizing the party’s state unit after the Maoist attack in 2013 that wiped out its entire leadership. The BJP, following its traditional strategy, has not projected a specific candidate for the top job and has focused its campaign on the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
4. The Congress believes that its better chance of victory among the two heartland states it governs lies in Chhattisgarh. The state government claims significant progress in various areas, including agriculture, education, and counteracting the Maoist insurgency.
5. However, the Congress campaign was hit by corruption allegations against Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. According to sources, an investigation into an illegal online betting app revealed that its promoters had paid around Rs 508 crore to Baghel, with regular payments made in the past.
6. Baghel has responded by accusing the BJP of using the Enforcement Directorate as an electoral ally and “weaponizing” it against him. He believes that these allegations will not impact his party’s chances.
7. In Mizoram, the Mizo National Front, which formed an alliance with the BJP in 2018, ending the 10-year rule of Congress Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, is aiming for another term. Traditionally, the ruling party in Mizoram is given two terms before being voted out.
8. However, this year’s election is expected to be multi-cornered, with the rising regional party Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) projecting a young leader for the top job and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party also entering the race.
9. In the 2018 election, the Mizo National Front won 26 out of the 40 assembly seats, with a vote share of 37.8%. The Congress secured five seats, and the BJP won one seat.
10. The counting of votes in both states will take place on December 3, along with Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana.
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