The Congress on Wednesday announced 53 candidates for the ensuing Chhattisgarh Assembly elections which will be held in two phases on 7 and 17 November. The party has dropped 18 sitting MLAs so far in the state where it is seeking to retain power in Chhattisgarh under Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and fielded over two dozen new faces. CM Baghel and his 12 cabinet colleagues and state Assembly Speaker Charandas Mahant will face the electoral test and the votes will be counted on December 3. Congress has so far declared candidates for 83 out of the total of 90 seats. The filing of nominations for the first phase began on 13 October. Twenty constituencies are slated to go to polls in the first phase on 7 November while the second phase of polls will be held on 17 November, covering 70 constituencies.
Ahead of the upcoming elections, India News conducted an exclusive ground survey to understand the political pulse of the state and understand the sentiment on the ground.
The survey found Bhupesh Baghel is the first choice (47.07%) for CM among of respondents. This suggests that he enjoys strong support among the respondents. Deputy CM TS Singh Deo is the preferred choice for 18.48% while the BJP’s Raman Singh is the choice of 22.22%.
A majority (76.29%) of respondents believe Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the winning factor in Chhattisgarh, indicating strong popularity in the state. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was the choice of 4.44% while Raman Singh was preferred by 7.40%. Among Congress leaders, CM Baghel is the favoured leader for 48.14% of respondents. While Bhupesh Baghel is the preferred Congress leader in Chhattisgarh, but there is significant uncertainty among respondents regarding the Congress leadership, with a substantial number unable to express a preference. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were the choice of 25.11%. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is preferred by 8.14%.
Jogi Congress is viewed as a spoiler by 39.18%, while the Aam Aadmi Party came second, seen as a potential spoiler by 29.22%. Gondwana Republic Party is a perceived spoiler by 15.37%. The opinions on the potential impact of the internal tussle within Congress in Chhattisgarh are divided. Almost half of the respondents think it may lead to losses, while a similar proportion believes it won’t have a major effect. In summary, this data provides insights into the preferences of Chhattisgarh residents for political leadership, potential spoiler parties, and the perceived impact of internal conflicts within Congress. It’s evident that Bhupesh Baghel and PM Modi enjoy considerable popularity, but there is uncertainty and division in other areas of political preference and perception.
Q. Who is your first choice as CM of Chhattisgarh?
Bhupesh Baghel: 47.07%
TS Singh Deo: 18.48%
Raman Singh: 22.22%
Can’t say: 12.23%
Q. Who is the winning face for BJP in Chhattisgarh?
PM Modi: 76.29%
Amit Shah: 4.44%
Raman Singh: 7.40%
Can’t say: 11.87%
Q. Who is the winning face for Congress in Chhattisgarh?
Bhupesh Baghel: 48.14%
Rahul-Priyanka: 25.11%
Mallikarjun Kharge: 8.14%
Can’t say: 18.61%
Q. Which vote-getting party can spoil the game between Chhattisgarh Congress-BJP?
Aam Aadmi Party: 29.22%
Jogi Congress: 39.18%
Gondwana Republic Party: 15.37%
Can’t say: 16.23%
Q. Will Congress suffer losses due to the tussle between Baghel and Singh Deo in Chhattisgarh?
Yes: 45.33%
No: 48.51%
Can’t say: 8.14%