Campaigning ends for Chhattisgarh Ph-1, Mizoram polls

Aditi Tandon

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New Delhi, November 5

The stage is set for polling in 20 Left wing extremism-hit Assembly segments of Chhattisgarh in the first phase and in Mizoram on November 7.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up BJP’s campaign in Chhattisgarh today with a visit to Dongargarh, a shrine, and met Jain seer Acharya Vidyasagar Maharaj. The PM also prayed at Maa Bamleshwari Devi temple.

The Congress campaign was led by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, state CM Bhupesh Baghel and central leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi.

While the Congress is hoping to return to power in Chhattisgarh with a range of pro-farmer sops, including the promise of a farm loan waiver, the BJP is counting Rs 12,000 annual cash support to married women and Rs 10,000 per year support to landless farm workers as its masterstroke besides aid to farmers to counter the Congress.

Out of 20 seats going to the polls in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, the Congress had won 17 in 2018 gaining two more in the byelections held later.

As of today, the BJP holds only one of these 20 segments — Rajnandgaon which former Chief Minister Raman Singh represents. All 12 seats of the Naxal-hit Bastar belt, which Congress holds, will poll in the first phase, as BJP eyes gains in the region.

Only yesterday, a BJP leader from LWE-affected Narayanpur Ratan Dubey was axed to death by Naxals during campaigning. The saffron party has called it a targeted killing meant to intimidate its cadres.

The Election Commission is going all out to ensure safety of voters and polling parties with helicopters used to transport polling staff to 156 booths in Naxal hotbed districts of Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Kanker and Narayanpur.

Importantly, for the first time since independence, residents of more than 120 interior villages, once Maoist strongholds, will vote in their own settlements. Chanda Meta village, some 60 km from Bastar divisional headquarters on Odisha border, got a polling booth of its own for the first time.

In another village in the area, a booth has been set up for five voters. Earlier, these villagers needed to trek nearly 10 km in tough terrain to vote.

In the November 7 polling, 40,78,681 voters (19,93,937 male, 20,84,675 female and 69 third gender) will decide the fate of 223 candidates, including 25 women. Polling will happen at 5,304 stations.

Meanwhile in Mizoram, over 8.57 lakh voters will decide the fate of 174 candidates, including 16 women, across 1,276 polling stations on November 7. Chief electoral officer H Lianzela said 30 booths along the interstate and international border had been designated vulnerable and 3,000 police and 5,400 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel have been deployed for security.

The contest is Mizoram is multi-cornered with the ruling Mizo National Front, regional party Zoram People’s Movement, Congress and BJP in the fray. AAP is also contesting in four segments.