Battlelines drawn in Chhattisgarh: It’s going to be Modi vs Baghel

Raipur, Aug 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Chhattisgarh is one of the states in the country where two elections are scheduled to take place within the coming year -- the first being the state Assembly polls and the second being the Lok Sabha elections.

These elections are not just a contest between the Congress and the BJP, but also a battle of images between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

Assembly polls in the Congress-ruled state are scheduled to be held by the end of this year and the Lok Sabha elections will take place in April-May next year.

The electoral atmosphere has gradually started to intensify, with both the BJP and Congress making efforts to outdo each other.

Speaking about the BJP, their target is Chief Minister Baghel, while on the other hand, the Congress is directly targeting Prime Minister Modi. The reason for the attacks on the Prime Minister is also due to the increasing interference of the BJP's national leadership in the state's politics.

Looking at the state Assembly composition, in the 90-member house, Congress has 71 seats, BJP has 13, Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) has three, Bahujan Samaj Party has two, while one seat is vacant.

In the Lok Sabha, out of the 11 seats, the BJP holds nine, and Congress has two MPs.

The upcoming Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh and  2024 Lok Sabha elections will promise to bring about intriguing contests on the political stage.

Focusing on the major political issues in the state, while the Central government claims to approve various plans for the state's development, it also accuses the state government of not fulfilling its responsibilities properly.

On the other hand, the BJP has alleged that due to the state government, poor are not getting the benefits of the Centre's housing policies, and accusations of various scams, including the sand and coal scams, are being made against the state government.

Baghel has been under the BJP's scrutiny

The party openly alleges instances of corruption and malpractice during Bhupesh Baghel's tenure.

When Prime Minister Modi visited Chhattisgarh, he had also openly accused the Baghel government and even said that Congress has become a model of corruption and misgovernance.

The Congress has raised allegations against the Central government for protecting people involved in corruption and favoring specific individuals. He questions why the same person is being assigned tasks from coal to various mining activities. He questions why Adani was given control over the port to the airport.

Baghel has even leveled allegations of step-motherly treatment by the Central government towards the state.

Looking at the political activities of the state, one thing becomes clear that the central leadership of both the political parties is keeping an eye on the state.

While Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda are frequently visiting the state, trips by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, National General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi are also on the spike.

Political analysts believe that whether it is the state Assembly polls or the general elections, both contests are becoming battles centered around Prime Minister Modi's image.

This is because the BJP hasn't projected any specific face for the Assembly elections.

On the other hand, the Congress is strategically advancing Chief Minister Baghel's image.

Thus, in the state, both elections will essentially revolve around the Prime Minister and Chief Minister.

However, it's important to note that while the state Asembly elections may focus on state-specific issues, the Lok Sabha polls will encompass national issues.

Source: IANS