Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018: Key constituencies

In the Assembly elections in 2018, Chhattisgarh is witnessing a three-way contest between the BJP, Congress and Mayawati-Ajit Jogi alliance.

The high-pitched campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while the Congress campaign in the state was led by president Rahul Gandhi. The Congress centered its campaign around attacking Chief Minister Raman Singh's government on over issues of corruption and agrarian distress in the state. The BJP has been in power in the state under Singh's leadership since December 7, 2003.

In 2018, the state is witnessing a three-way contest with the ruling BJP trying to retain power as principal opposition Congress and an alliance by Ajit Jogi's JCC and Mayawati's BSP in attacking mode. Despite a boycott call by the Communist Party of India (Maoist), Chhattisgarh recorded an overall turnout of 76.35 per cent in the two-phased assembly elections.

Rajnandgaon
Incumbent Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who is seeking his fourth consecutive term, is contesting from Rajnandgaon Assembly constituency in the 2018 polls. The two-time MLA from Rajanandgaon constituency, Singh is seeking third consecutive victory from the seat. Congress has fielded Karuna Shukla, niece of former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee against Singh from Rajnandgaon. In the 2013 elections, Singh defeated Congress leader Alka Uday Mudliyar from the seat by a margin of 35866 votes. As per the 2013 election data, 1,80,300 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. 

Bilaspur
In the 2013 elections, BJP's Amar Agrawal Congress leader Vani Rao in Bilaspur seat. As per the 2013 election data, 2,23,950 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency of which Agrawal had gained 72,255 votes. In the run-up to the polls this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a rally in Bilaspur on November 12. For the 2018 polls, BJP has again fielded the winning candidate Agrawal but Congress has fielded Shailesh Pandey on the seat. The JCC has fielded Brijesh Sahu for the seat.

Takhatpur
The BJP has been winning the seat in the last two elections. In 2013, BJP's Raju Singh Kshatri defeated Congress leader Ashish Singh Thakur from the Takhatpur seat by a narrow margin of 608 votes. As per the 2013 election data, 1,84,723 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. For 2018 polls, BJP's Harshita Pandey is contesting against Congress leader Dr Rashmi Singh, and JCC's Santosh Kaushik (Guruji). 

Ambikapur
In the 2013 elections, Congress leader TS Baba defeated BJP's Anurag Singh Deo with a margin of 19,558 votes. As per the 2013 election data, 2,03,212 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. In 2018, Deo and Baba will again be facing each other while Sita Ram Das from BSP will be looking to grab the seat. 

Bastar
In the 2013 elections, Congress leader Baghel Lakheshwar had defeated BJP's Dr Subhaoo Kashyap with a margin of 19,168 votes on the Bastar seat. As per the 2013 election data, 1,35,903 voters exercised their franchise in the reserved ST seat. In 2018 again, Lakheshwar and Kashyap will be facing each other on the seat. There were a series of deadly attacks by Naxalites on security forces ahead of the first phase of polls in Chhattisgarh.

Dantewada
Dantewada was one of the 18 constituencies in eight districts of Chhattisgarh which went to polls in the first phase of the elections. Dantewada is located in Maoist hotbeds in south Chhattisgarh and is among the worst-affected by Left-Wing extremism in the country. In 2013 Assembly polls, Congress’ Devti Karma defeated BJP candidate Bhimaram Mandavi by a margin of 5,900 votes in Naxal-infested Dantewada. As per the 2013 election data, 1,74,963 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. In 2018 polls, the seat will witness a three-way contest between Mandavi, Devti and BSP’s Keshav Netam. 

Jashpur
In 2013 Assembly polls, BJP's Rajsharan Bhagat defeated Congress candidate Sarhul Ram Bhagat by a margin of 34,349 votes in Jashpur. As per the 2013 election data, 1,99,942 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. Jashpur region has a large population of Christians and also houses Asia's second largest church at Kunkuri in Jashpur district. In 2018 polls, Bahujan Samaj Party's Gaganmati Bhagat is contesting against BJP's Govind Ram Bhagat and Congress's Vinay Kumar Bhagat on the seat. 

Kawardha
Kawardha is a part of Chhattisgarh’s Kabhirdham district. In 2013 Assembly polls, BJP's Ashok Sahu defeated Congress candidate Akbar Bhai by a narrow margin of 2,558 votes in Kawardha. As per the 2013 election data, 2,69,308 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. In 2018 polls, the BJP and the Congress have kept their candidates unchanged while the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh has fielded Agam Das Anant on the seat. 

Kasdol
In 2013 Assembly polls, BJP's Gauri Shankar Agrawal defeated Congress candidate Rajkamal Singhaniya by a narrow margin of 22,928 votes in Kasdol. As per the 2013 election data, 2,95,214 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. In the last three assembly elections, the Congress has won two out of three times while BJP has won only once. The BJP has fielded Gauri Shankar again in 2018, Nationalist Congress Party has fielded Shakuntala Sahu while Rameshwar Prasad Kaiwart will be contesting on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket. 

Jagdalpur
In 2013 Assembly polls, BJP's Santosh Bafna defeated Congress candidate Shamu Kashyap by a margin of 16658 votes in Jagdalpur. As per the 2013 election data, 1,76,546 voters exercised their franchise in the constituency. While Congress has had a good hold in 12 Vidhan Sabha seats of the Bastar division, it had lost the Jagdalpur seat to BJP by 17,000 votes. In 2018, the BJP has again fielded Santosh while Rekhchand Jain is contesting on a Congress ticket and Amit Pandey is Janta Congress Chhattisgarh's candidate.