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C’garh poll: Final phase of voting today
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Raipur, November 18
As Chhattisgarh prepares to vote in the final phase for 72 assembly seats tomorrow, both the BJP and Congress heavyweights are conscious of the rebellion brewing on either side.

If former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s niece Karuna Shukla is leading the BJP rebellion, former state Chief Minister Ajit Jogi-backed candidates are troubling Congress’ official ones.

In a state with low victory margins - 2.5 per cent in 2003 and 1.7 per cent in the 2008 poll - dissidence can harm both the parties, especially the BJP which is seeking a third term. Of the seats up for grabs tomorrow, Congress holds 36 against BJP’s 34 and BSP’s two.

That makes the rebels critical. Karuna Shukla, former BJP vice-president, who recently quit the party, may not be contesting tomorrow but has openly canvassed against Chief Minister Raman Singh in Rajnandgaon where Alka Mudliyar, wife of slain Congress legislator Uday Mudliyar, is the Congress nominee. This seat has never elected the same MLA consecutively.

Saffron rebels are denting party candidates elsewhere as in Jashpur tribal seat where former five-term MLA and minister Ganesh Ram Bhagat is fighting BJP’s Ramsharan Bhagat after being denied a ticket. In Mahasamand segment (which Congress holds), senior BJP leader Vimal Chopra is challenging BJP’s new face Poonam Chandrakar, while three-term former BJP legislator Rajinder Bhatia is fighting from the Khujji segment in Rajnandgaon against a young Vijay Sahu, BJP’s nominee.

The BJP’s move to exclude 13 sitting MLAs and field 25 new faces has caused 18 people to revolt, though party general secretary (Chhattisgarh) JP Nadda says all but two have been placated. Shukla, however, disagrees saying the BJP is facing a massive rebellion for the first time since Chhattisgarh’s formation in 2000.

“Senior leaders stand marginalised. I was removed from major state party positions ahead of the first phase polls. I quit due to humiliation, not denial of tickets. The BJP will pay for this,” Shukla told TNS, admitting she canvassed for anti-BJP candidates who invited her.

On the Congress side, the Tribune has accessed an official list of 23 rebels submitted to state party chief Charan Das Mahant. Of these, 14 are being sponsored by Ajit Jogi, damaging Congress’ chances in seats where he couldn’t get tickets for his men. Jogi got 47 tickets in a 90-member assembly but wanted 65.

An insider said: “Jogi wants to stay relevant in Chhattisgarh by undercutting the Congress which can’t ignore him because of his influence in SC segments. Everyone knows Jogi is a Scheduled Caste and not tribal as he claims. He has mostly fielded SC candidates against official Congressmen.”

Facing Ajit-sponsored candidates is Ravindra Choubey, five-time Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition in the assembly whose votes will be cut by Raj Kumar Sahu in Sajja segment of Bemetra district.

High stakes

* Chief Minister Raman Singh’s nine of 13 ministers in fray

* Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi’s son Amit, wife Renu in fray

* Cong treasurer Motilal Vora’s son Arun Vora re-contesting after three losses from Durg city.