BJP gains in central plains, Congress remains resilient

Raipur: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured victory in 33 out of 64 seats in the central plains of Chhattisgarh. The Congress closely followed with 31 seats, while one seat was claimed by the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP). The central plains region played a pivotal role in supporting the Congress, allowing the party to uphold its current standing in the assembly, especially as it faced a major setback in the tribal belts.During the last five years in power, the Congress government led by chief minister Bhupesh Baghel focused more on the central region, where farmers constitute a sizable population. The Congress government’s schemes revolved around farmers, including paddy procurement, bonuses, and direct money transfers into the accounts of farmers, agricultural labourers, and others every quarter.In the 2018 elections, the Congress made substantial gains in the central region. However, the BJP made deep inroads in the plains, winning 33 seats from the central region. Its tally rose to 54 in the assembly as the saffron party won all 14 seats from the Surguja region and nine seats from the tribal Bastar region, securing power.While the Congress won two separate patches—one close to the tribal Bastar region and another close to the Surguja region—BJP concurred the region in the middle. One constituency, Pali-Tanakhar, went to the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP).Prominent leaders who lost from the central region include Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Narayan Chandel (Janjgir-Champa-BJP), Renu Jogi (JCC-J- Kota), the wife of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, home minister Tamradhwaj Sahu (INC-Durg Rural), and a couple of ministers in the Bhupesh Baghel-led ministry.Prominent winners include chief minister Bhupesh Baghel (INC – Patan), BJP vice-president and former chief minister Raman Singh (BJP-Rajnandgaon), and assembly speaker Dr. Charan Das Mahant (INC-Sakti).Chhattisgarh’s central plains, which account for 64 seats in the 90-member assembly, have always been crucial for both mainstream parties. In this region, parties like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) also hold influence in certain pockets, where the majority of the population is into paddy cultivation. Congress, in the 2018 elections, tapped heavily into the farmer’s vote bank, promising to provide Rs 2500 per quintal of paddy sold under the minimum support price scheme besides offering a farm loan waiver. Congress’ victory met the usual expectations as its candidates won from 43 constituencies. BJP could win only 14 out of a total of 64 seats while the regional party Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), floated by former chief minister Ajit Jogi, and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) contested in a pre-poll alliance and won five and two seats, respectively.In nine tribal seats that fall in the central plains region, Congress won six seats while two assembly segments were won by the BJP and one seat went to the JCC (J). Former chief minister Ajit Jogi won his traditional stronghold of Marwahi (ST) seat as a candidate of his newly formed JCC (J) in a triangular contest while his wife Dr. Renu Jogi, who was then a Congress legislator, contested as a candidate of JCC (J) and retained her Kota seat.In the 10 SC seats of the region, Congress secured seven seats, BJP two and BSP one. In the state’s first election in 2003 after Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh, BJP won 31 seats from the central plains followed by Congress with 30 seats, BSP with two, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with one. However, in the 2018 polls, both the Congress and BJP continued to remain evenly poised in the region with Congress winning 32 and BJP securing 30 seats. The BSP had won two seats then. In the 2013 elections, BJP took the lion’s share of 38 seats from this region, winning the maximum number of nine out of total 10 seats reserved for the scheduled castes. Congress won 24 seats while one seat went to BSP and an independent.