New Delhi (02.12.2023): The Congress and BJP are in direct contest in Chhattisgarh where the Congress is up to save its government while the BJP to unseat the Congress in the state. There are many factors that favour the possibility of Congress managing to win Assembly elections in a close fight with the BJP. Third and fourth factors are equally important.

• The Congress is favourite to form the government in the state

• State government’s schemes are working that has made CM Bhupesh Baghel very popular among masses

• Baghel is man of organisation and delivered a government to the Congress in Himachal Pradesh

• Old pension scheme for government employees is doing wonders for the Congress

• Procuring cow dung at Rs 2 per kg under Godhan Nyay Yojana and Cow urine at Rs 4 per liter.

• Pro-farmer, pro-poor schemes aimed at the socio-economic development of the rural areas are very popular. 

• He has won all five by-polls which has made his acceptability at the national level even bigger.

• The CM managed to prevail intra-party rivalry in the state.

• The BJP got 33 per cent of the votes and the Congress got 43 per cent, covering such huge gap appears difficult.

• Tribals are not happy with the government but that is not enough to alter the election result

• Speaks Chhattisgarh to give personal touch with people

• Women voters will be an important role in Chhattisgarh elections

• Welfare schemes are working for the Congress in the state

• Of the total 1.56 crore people who voted across the state, around 78.1 lakh were women and 77.5 lakh men. 

• The female voter turnout (women who voted as a percentage of total enrolled women electors) in Chhattisgarh too was higher than the male voter turnout in 27 constituencies of Chhattisgarh. 

• Of these, half a dozen constituencies are Left-wing extremism affected. Overall, the final EVM turnout figure in Chhattisgarh, not including the votes cast by postal ballots, was slightly lower at 76.3% this time as compared to 76.4% in 2018 (which however includes postal ballot votes). 

• Female voter turnout in the Left-wing extremism affected state reflected the same trend at 76.2% (down from 76.3%) as did the male polling percentage at 76.4% (down from 76.6%).

• There was a jump in third gender turnout, which rose from 8% in 2018 to 28.9% this time.

• The highest turnout in Chhattisgarh was recorded in Kurud assembly constituency (90.1%) while likely urban apathy hit the poll percentage in Raipur with Raipur City North witnessing 55.6% turnout, Raipur City West 55.9%, Raipur Rural 58.5% and Raipur City South 60.2%. 

• The BJP has gained specially in tribal and urban pockets

• It lacks a leader in the state to consolidate these gains

• Hindutva politics of the BJP was answered by the same politics 

• No one in the BJP is there to challenge popularity of Baghel

• Gondwana Gantantra Party and BSP fought elections together and will have impact in pockets

• Similar is the case with Janata Congress Chhattisgarh with its impact in a pocket

• Saroj Pandey and Raman Singh rivalry is harming the BJP

• Naxal attack questioned administrative acumen of the CM