Chhattisgarh Election Results: The contest in Chhattisgarh, which seemed to be going Congress's way till mid-morning, saw a stunning turn with the BJP making a massive comeback. The BJP which was trailing in over 25 seats won 54 seats and is all set to from government in the state. The Congress has managed to win 35 seats in the 90-member Assembly.
Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel resigned as chief minister after the party lost power to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the assembly polls.
"I respect the mandate of the people. Congress will play a positive role in the opposition," Mr Baghel told reporters outside Raj Bhavan after submitting his resignation to Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan. He said the Congress came to power in 2018 and served the people very honestly.
The voting for Chhattisgarh's 90-seat assembly happened in two phases on November 7 and November 17 and saw voter turnout of 78 percent and 75.88 percent respectively.
Here are the Highlights of Chhattisgarh Election 2023 Results:
Chhattisgarh CM and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel hands over his resignation to the Governor following the defeat of Congress in Chhattisgarh pic.twitter.com/VT5Av4wDQZ
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
#WATCH | Raipur: On winning in Chhattisgarh, BJP state in-charge Nitin Nabin says, "This government pretended to be well-wishers of the farmers and stole credit of the works done by the centre. We went to the people with these facts and they believed us. We also saw that faith... pic.twitter.com/g5bxxRH5Sc
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
#WATCH | Delhi: On BJP's win in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and lead in Chhattisgarh, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad says, "These are the expectations of the rising India and it is a warning to those who make allegations against the ED and the CBI every day. People answered the... pic.twitter.com/Hyl2hi6E8X
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
#WATCH | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "Some people are even saying that today's hattrick has guaranteed the hattrick of 2024..." pic.twitter.com/VrIx9QubIQ
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
#WATCH | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "..In this election, there were efforts to divide the country based on castes. I kept saying that for me, four castes are important - Nari Shakti, Yuva Shakti, Kisaan aur Gareeb Parivaar..." pic.twitter.com/T5fQSEFPH3
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
#WATCH | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "Today every poor is saying that he himself has won. Every deprived person has a feeling in his mind that he has won the election. Every farmer says that he has won this election. Today, every tribal brother and sister is happy... pic.twitter.com/X9WgitJN75
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
#WATCH | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "Today, we are seeing the results. There is no alternative to BJP in Madhya Pradesh. BJP has been in power for 2 decades and even after such a long time, people's trust in BJP is increasing continuously...In the first public... pic.twitter.com/WzeMX2dMD5
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
जनता-जनार्दन को नमन!
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 3, 2023
मध्य प्रदेश, राजस्थान और छत्तीसगढ़ के चुनाव परिणाम बता रहे हैं कि भारत की जनता का भरोसा सिर्फ और सिर्फ सुशासन और विकास की राजनीति में है, उनका भरोसा @BJP4India में है।
भाजपा पर अपना स्नेह, विश्वास और आशीर्वाद बरसाने के लिए मैं इन सभी राज्यों के परिवारजनों...
#WATCH | Durg: BJP Candidate from Patan and MP Vijay Baghel says, "I had told that BJP will form the govt with a huge majority and that's visible today...Congress' claims have become hollow, that is clear. BJP has got people's blessings. People were living in an atmosphere of... pic.twitter.com/n0cQNdZY7s
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh BJP President Arun Sao says, "The people of Chhattisgarh are going to give their blessings to the BJP. After going all around the state, we formed a belief, and on that basis, I can say that the BJP is going to form its government with a complete majority." pic.twitter.com/1EoVEjpWlu
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
Known as 'chawal wale baba' for his innovative Public Distribution System schemes, Mr Singh was born in 1952 in Kawardha in undivided Madhya Pradesh to an advocate and a homemaker. He pursued Ayurveda and completed his Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) from the Government Ayurveda College in Raipur in 1975.
Raman Singh was appointed the youth president of Jana Sangh's district unit in 1976 and won his first election in 1983, becoming a municipal councillor in Kawardha.
Seven short years later, he contested the Assembly elections for the first time and was elected an MLA from Kawardha. Elections were held in 1993 and Mr Singh was elected again. He faced his first loss five years later, when he was defeated by Congress' Yogeshwar Raj Singh, the scion of the Kawardha royal family.
In his 15 years as chief minister, one of Raman Singh's biggest achievements was the overhaul of the public distribution system, which earned him the sobriquet of 'chawal wale baba'. He also pushed through the Chhattisgarh Food Security Act, 2012, which was meant to provide food and nutritional security.
Bhupesh Baghel is credited with revitalising the party in the state. He not only rebuilt it from the grassroots, but also led it to victory in the 2018 elections, sweeping out the BJP that enjoyed three terms in power and their popular Chief Minister Raman Singh.
This time, Bhupesh Baghel has played one of his winning cards - Kisani - early in the match, promising loan waiver for farmers, who comprise around 90 per cent of the state's population. For them, he has also upped the minimum support price of rice, another move that has gained a lot of support. For the rural poor with economically unviable cattle, he has also crafted a programme to purchase cow dung for Rs 2/kg - an initiative giving the BJP a run for its money.
#WATCH | Counting of votes today in the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly, BJP leader & former CM Raman Singh says, "BJP will make government with clear majority in the state. We will 42-55 seats in the state." pic.twitter.com/PuixbxFCzu
- ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
Strong room in Surguja, #Chattisgarh unlocked in the presence of counting officials ahead of the counting of votes for the state assembly elections. | reported by ANI #AssemblyElections2023 #Elections2023 #ResultsWithNDTV #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/3e122mqbS8
- NDTV (@ndtv) December 3, 2023
Chhattisgarh, which polled for the Assembly in two phases on November 7 and November 17, recorded 70.60 per cent voter turnout in round two. The first phase of polling, held for 20 Assembly seats, saw a turnout of 78 per cent.
Bhupesh Baghel's rule hasn't been without controversies. In a startling allegation, the Enforcement Directorate earlier this month claimed that a courier caught with over Rs 5 crore in cash told the agency that the promoters of the Mahadev betting app made payments of Rs 508 crore to Mr Baghel.
The Congress has not won consecutive elections in the same state in over two decades; the last time it successfully defended a government was Madhya Pradesh in 1993 and 1998, when Digvijaya Singh was Chief Minister and it decimated the BJP - winning 174 and 172 of 230 seats.
In Chhattisgarh, the Congress is pinning its hopes on Bhupesh Baghel for a second consecutive term. Bhupesh Baghel appears to be the man of the moment, laying down an election agenda that even the BJP is forced to respond to. The Chief Minister is credited with revitalising the party in the state and also leading it to victory in 2018, wresting power from the BJP that enjoyed three terms in power.
