Straight fight between BJP, Congress in Mahasamund
   Date :03-Apr-2019

 
Dhanendra Sahu, Chunnilal Sahu 
 
 
Staff Reporter RAIPUR,
 
13 candidates are in the race for Mahasamund seat
 
16,32,962 votes including 8,22,158 female voters to express their franchise in Mahasamund Lok Sabha constituency on April 18
 
BJP trying to make winning hat-trick from Mahasamund seat
 
 
Mahasamund Lok Sabha seat is expected to witness a tough and straight fight between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Chunnilal Sahu and Congress candidate Dhanendra Sahu in the Lok Sabha elections-2019. The elections for Mahasamund seat will be held under second phase of the general elections on April 18. Indian National Congress leader Maganlal Radhakishan Bagdi became first Lok Sabha Member of Mahasamund. Mahasamund Lok Sabha constituency was renamed as Baloda Bazar seat between 1957 and 62. The Indian National Congress had won Mahasamund Lok Sabha seat 15 times while BJP had won this seat four times. Vidya Charan Shukla had won Mahasamund Lok Sabha seat highest six times. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Brij Lal Verma had won Mahasamund seat in 1977. After that, BJP leader Chandrashekhar Sahu had won Masamund seat in 1998. BJP candidate Chandulal Sahu won Mahasamund Lok Sabha seat consecutive two times in 2009 and 2014. BJP candidate Chandulal Sahu defeated Congress candidate and former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi by a margin of 1217 votes in the last parliamentary elections.
 
Chandulal Sahu polled 5,03,514 votes while the Congress candidate Ajit Jogi polled 5,02,297 votes. 13 candidates- BJP candidate Chunnilal Sahu, Indian National Congress candidate Dhanendra Sahu, Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Dhansingh Kosariya, Ambedkarite Party of India candidate Ashok Soni, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Bhojlal Netam, Rashtriya Jansabha Party candidate Rohit Kumar Kosre, Bhartiya Shakti Chetna Party candidate Dr Virendra Choudhary, independent candidates Khilawan Singh Dhruw, Champalal Patel Guruji, Jagmohan Bhagwat Kosariya, Tarun Kumar Dadsena, Devendra Singh Thakur and Santosh Banjare are in the race for Mahasamund seat this time. This time, both national parties chose their candidates from Sahu community (OBC) for Mahasamund seat. The BJP fielded former MLA Chunnilal Sahu from Mahasamund seat by replacing its sitting MP Chandulal Sahu while Congress party gave ticket to its sitting Abhanpur MLA and former CPCC President Dhanendra Sahu from this seat. BJP candidate Chunnilal Sahu is seeking votes on the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government in the last five years. Congress party candidate Dhanendra Sahu is seeking votes for change.
 
Besides, Dhanendra Sahu is also highlighting the achievements of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel government. Both national parties are wooing votes through their poll promises. The BJP is trying to make a hat-trick from Mahasamund seat. Mahasamund Lok Sabha constituency composes of eight assembly segments-Saraipali (SC), Basna, Khallari Mahasamund, Rajim, Bindranawagarh (ST), Kurud and Dhamtari. Congress won five assembly segments- Saraipali, Basna, Khallari, Mahasamund and Rajim of Mahasamund Lok constituency in the recently concluded assembly elections while BJP won only three assembly constituencies-Bindranawagarh, Kurud and Dhamtari. Congress obtained 5,70,748 votes in all the eight assembly segments of Mahasamund Lok Sabha seat while the BJP secured 4,06,476 votes. The difference of votes between Congress and BJP is 1,64,272 votes. There are 16,32,962 votes including 8,22,158 female voters in Mahasamund Lok Sabha constituency this time.