Raipur: Preparations for the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh have reached a stage as all political parties are actively announcing their lists of candidates. Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already made two candidate lists, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has disclosed three. However, the Congress party has yet to release any candidate lists. The reason behind this delay is that the Congress is waiting for Pitru Paksha, a period dedicated to paying homage to ancestors, to conclude. They have chosen to commence unveiling their candidate lists with a worship ceremony in honor of Goddess Durga. In relation to this, an important meeting of the Congress Election Committee took place in Delhi on October 12.
Following the committee meeting, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel stated, “The list of Congress candidates for the assembly elections has been meticulously prepared after consulting party members and analyzing survey data. Despite our rituals causing a delay we have made preparations in advance. The primary criterion for inclusion in this list is each candidates ability to secure victory.” Chief Minister Baghel further revealed that they will officially announce the Congress candidate list on October 15 and only award tickets to candidates with the potential to win.
The primary consideration for ticket distribution is to prioritize winning candidates. It’s worth mentioning that the Election Commission has already released the election dates for all five states, including Chhattisgarh.
The elections in Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases, with voting for 20 seats scheduled for November 7, while the remaining 70 seats will see voting on November 17. In the previous 2018 Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, the Congress secured a significant victory by winning 68 out of 90 seats, obtaining 43.9% of the total votes.