On the first day of Navratri, the Congress has unveiled its initial candidate list for the upcoming Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly elections. The first list reveals 30 names, featuring Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, the entirety of the 13-minister cabinet, and the Assembly Speaker. Notably, 8 existing legislators, inclusive of a former minister, missed out on a ticket.
The list also highlighted 14 Scheduled Tribe (ST) and 3 Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates. Furthermore, four female contenders are marking their presence. Minister Guru Rudra Kumar finds himself shifted from his previous seat to contest from Navagad.
The Congress has declared its intentions for 19 of the 20 seats going to polls in the initial phase, leaving out only Jagdalpur. In an unexpected move, Girish Devangan, formerly set to run from Bhatapara in Baloda Bazar, is now slated against ex-Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh. Devangan, who has a history of holding prominent roles within the Congress, is perceived as a close ally of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
The cut tickets from the first list were notable, with several legislators who had previously defeated BJP candidates by substantial margins in the 2018 and subsequent by-elections now missing out.
The announcement for the remaining 60 legislative assembly seats is anticipated shortly, as the nomination process for the second phase begins on October 21. Listed candidates include T.S. Singh Deo for Ambikapur, Amarjeet Bhagat for Sitapur (ST), and Bhupesh Baghel for Patan, among others.