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RAIPUR: The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh has unveiled its second list of candidates of 53 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in its effort to secure a renewed mandate—choosing to retain 25 of its incumbent legislators, dropping 10 others, and introducing 17 fresh faces to strengthen its position in the assembly polls.
Having already named 30 candidates, including Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Deputy Chief Minister T S Singh, and retaining all ministers, the Congress has so far declared 83 candidates for the 90-member assembly. Names of party nominees in seven constituencies are expected to be announced in a day or two.
The ruling party has dropped one of its two legislators whose name appeared in the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the coal scam. Chandradev Rai, sitting MLA from Bilaigarh-SC, has been replaced by Kavita Pran Lahare. However, another sitting MLA, Devendra Yadav, who represents Bhilai Nagar, has been retained to contest the elections.
Among those benched are Brihaspat Singh, who sparked controversy with remarks against senior party leader and now Deputy Chief Minister T S Singhdeo. Brihaspat has been replaced by Dr Ajay Tirkey from Ramanujganj constituency. Former Minister Dr Prem Sai Singh Tekam has been dropped from the Pratappur-ST constituency, and the party has fielded Raj Kumari Marawi in that seat, while sitting MLA Chintamani Maharaj has been replaced by Vijay Paikra in the Samri constituency. Other legislators who have been dropped include Dr Vijay Jaiswal (Manendragarh), Mohit Ram (Pali Tanakhar), and Rekhchand Jain (Jagdalpur).
Parliamentary Secretary Vikas Upadhyaya has been nominated for re-election from Raipur West, while Shailesh Pandey, a close confidant of Deputy Chief Minister T S Singhdeo, has been retained to contest for the Bilaspur seat. In Aarang, from where Minister Guru Rudra Kumar moved to Navagarh-SC, a new candidate, Nirmal Kosare, has been nominated.
For the Jagdalpur seat, the lone general constituency in the tribal Bastar region, Jitin Jaiswal has been fielded as a new face, replacing sitting Congress legislator Rekhchand Jain. Former Rajya Sabha member Chhaya Verma has been nominated to contest for the Dharsiwa seat, where sitting legislator Anita Yogendra Sharma will face off against Chhattisgarhi film star Anuj Sharma, who is contesting on a BJP ticket. Anita Sharma is the widow of Congress leader Yogendra Sharma, who was among those 29 people killed in the deadly Maoist attack that took place in Jheeram Valley in May 2013.
Prominent legislators who have been retained include former ministers Amitesh Shukla (Rajim), Dhanendra Sahu (Abhanpur), Gulab Kamro (Bharatpur-Sonhat-ST), U D Minj (Kunkuri-ST), Prakash Naik (Raigarh), Uttari Jangade (Sarangarh-SC), Dr K K Dhurv (Marwahi-ST), Ram Kumar Yadav (Chandrapur), Devendra Bahadur Singh (Basna), and others.
Mahant Ram Sundar Das, associated with the famous Dudadhari Math and chairman of Chhattisgarh Gau Sewa Aayog, has been fielded from Raipur South to take on senior BJP leader and former minister Brijmohan Agrawal. In Raipur rural, Congress veteran and former minister Satya Narayan Sharma has stepped aside from the contest, paving the way for his son Pankaj Sharma, who has been nominated to retain the seat for the party.
Others in the fray who retained seats from ST constituencies are Gulab Kamro (Balrampur -Sonhat), Pritam Ram (Lundra), Vinay Kumar Bhagat (Jashpur), U D Minj (Kunkuri), Rampukar Singh (Pathalgaon), Laljeet Singh Rathiya (Dharamjaigarh).
Fourteen of the 53 seats announced in second list are ST reserved constituencies, six are SC reserved seats, 33 general seats having 12 candidates belonging to upper caste while the list includes ten women candidates.
The newly inducted women candidates include Rajkumari Marawi from Bhatgaon seat, Vidyawati Sidar from Lailunga (ST) seat, Duleshwari Sidar from Pali-Tanakhar (ST), Kavita Pran Lahare from Bilaigarh (SC), Chaya Verma (Dharsiwa) replaces sitting woman MLA Anita Yogendra Sharma, Tarini Chandrakar from Kurud.
Women candidates retaining their seats are Uttari Jangde, Rashmi Ashish Singh (Takhatpur), Sangeeta Sinha (Sanjari Balod).
Congress is yet to announce its candidates for Kasdol, Saraipali, Baikunthpur, Raipur (west), Mahasamund, Dhamtari, Nagri-Sihawa.
Having already named 30 candidates, including Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Deputy Chief Minister T S Singh, and retaining all ministers, the Congress has so far declared 83 candidates for the 90-member assembly. Names of party nominees in seven constituencies are expected to be announced in a day or two.
The ruling party has dropped one of its two legislators whose name appeared in the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the coal scam. Chandradev Rai, sitting MLA from Bilaigarh-SC, has been replaced by Kavita Pran Lahare. However, another sitting MLA, Devendra Yadav, who represents Bhilai Nagar, has been retained to contest the elections.
Among those benched are Brihaspat Singh, who sparked controversy with remarks against senior party leader and now Deputy Chief Minister T S Singhdeo. Brihaspat has been replaced by Dr Ajay Tirkey from Ramanujganj constituency. Former Minister Dr Prem Sai Singh Tekam has been dropped from the Pratappur-ST constituency, and the party has fielded Raj Kumari Marawi in that seat, while sitting MLA Chintamani Maharaj has been replaced by Vijay Paikra in the Samri constituency. Other legislators who have been dropped include Dr Vijay Jaiswal (Manendragarh), Mohit Ram (Pali Tanakhar), and Rekhchand Jain (Jagdalpur).
Parliamentary Secretary Vikas Upadhyaya has been nominated for re-election from Raipur West, while Shailesh Pandey, a close confidant of Deputy Chief Minister T S Singhdeo, has been retained to contest for the Bilaspur seat. In Aarang, from where Minister Guru Rudra Kumar moved to Navagarh-SC, a new candidate, Nirmal Kosare, has been nominated.
For the Jagdalpur seat, the lone general constituency in the tribal Bastar region, Jitin Jaiswal has been fielded as a new face, replacing sitting Congress legislator Rekhchand Jain. Former Rajya Sabha member Chhaya Verma has been nominated to contest for the Dharsiwa seat, where sitting legislator Anita Yogendra Sharma will face off against Chhattisgarhi film star Anuj Sharma, who is contesting on a BJP ticket. Anita Sharma is the widow of Congress leader Yogendra Sharma, who was among those 29 people killed in the deadly Maoist attack that took place in Jheeram Valley in May 2013.
Prominent legislators who have been retained include former ministers Amitesh Shukla (Rajim), Dhanendra Sahu (Abhanpur), Gulab Kamro (Bharatpur-Sonhat-ST), U D Minj (Kunkuri-ST), Prakash Naik (Raigarh), Uttari Jangade (Sarangarh-SC), Dr K K Dhurv (Marwahi-ST), Ram Kumar Yadav (Chandrapur), Devendra Bahadur Singh (Basna), and others.
Mahant Ram Sundar Das, associated with the famous Dudadhari Math and chairman of Chhattisgarh Gau Sewa Aayog, has been fielded from Raipur South to take on senior BJP leader and former minister Brijmohan Agrawal. In Raipur rural, Congress veteran and former minister Satya Narayan Sharma has stepped aside from the contest, paving the way for his son Pankaj Sharma, who has been nominated to retain the seat for the party.
Others in the fray who retained seats from ST constituencies are Gulab Kamro (Balrampur -Sonhat), Pritam Ram (Lundra), Vinay Kumar Bhagat (Jashpur), U D Minj (Kunkuri), Rampukar Singh (Pathalgaon), Laljeet Singh Rathiya (Dharamjaigarh).
Fourteen of the 53 seats announced in second list are ST reserved constituencies, six are SC reserved seats, 33 general seats having 12 candidates belonging to upper caste while the list includes ten women candidates.
The newly inducted women candidates include Rajkumari Marawi from Bhatgaon seat, Vidyawati Sidar from Lailunga (ST) seat, Duleshwari Sidar from Pali-Tanakhar (ST), Kavita Pran Lahare from Bilaigarh (SC), Chaya Verma (Dharsiwa) replaces sitting woman MLA Anita Yogendra Sharma, Tarini Chandrakar from Kurud.
Women candidates retaining their seats are Uttari Jangde, Rashmi Ashish Singh (Takhatpur), Sangeeta Sinha (Sanjari Balod).
Congress is yet to announce its candidates for Kasdol, Saraipali, Baikunthpur, Raipur (west), Mahasamund, Dhamtari, Nagri-Sihawa.
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