Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress party are leaving no stone unturned to win Marwahi by-poll, which is slated to be held on November 3.

After the rejections of nomination of Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (Jogi) President Amit Jogi and JCC (Jogi) leader Richa Jogi, there will be a direct fight between BJP candidate Dr Gambheer Singh and Congress candidate Dr K K Dhruw in the Marwahi by-poll. Meanwhile, eight candidates remain in fray for Marwahi by-poll.

 

According to the political experts, after rejections of the nominations of Amit Jogi and Richa Jogi, Marwahi by-poll appears to be tilted in favour of the Congress party. With Jogi clan no more in the field, it’s going to be a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP with the Congress in a position of advantage as they are in power. But the BJP has not given up and are leaving no stone unturned to regain the seat. The BJP leaders are toiling hard to win the Marwahi seat, stated a BJP leader. If the BJP wins Marwahi by-poll, it would be after 19 years that the BJP will be winning the seat, though the party was in power for fifteen years in State, but then the seat was with the Jogis.

 

BJP National Vice-President Dr Raman Singh, Leader of Opposition in Chhattisgarh legislative assembly Dharamlal Kaushik, BJP State President Vishnu Deo Sai, former Minister Amar Agrawal and other senior BJP leaders are campaigning for the BJP candidate.

 

A volley of leaders including Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) President Mohan Markam, Revenue Minister Jaisingh Agrawal, School Education Minister Dr Premsai Singh Tekam and other senior Congress leaders are campaigning to ensure Congress candidate’s victory in the election.

 

Marwahi assembly seat, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST), has been vacated after the death of sitting Marwahi MLA and former CM Ajit Jogi, who passed away on May 29. After becoming first CM of Chhattisgarh in 2000, Ajit Jogi had won Marwahi by-poll in 2001 giving a set back to the BJP. The then BJP MLA Ramdayal Uikey had vacated Marwahi seat for Ajit Jogi. Since then, Marwahi assembly seat was with the Jogi family.

Ajit Jogi had won Marwahi assembly seat on Congress ticket in 2003 and 2008 and he won Marwahi seat on JCC (Jogi) ticket in 2018. Amit Jogi had won Marwahi seat in 2013. Five elections were held in Marwahi assembly constituency since the formation of Chhattisgarh and ever since the seat was with the Jogi family. But this record will break in this by-poll.

In his statement, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the strength of the Congress party will rise to 70 in the Assembly by winning Marwahi Assembly by-poll. “If the Congress wins the Marwahi by-poll this would be another feather in the cap of Bhupesh Baghel who will emerge stronger before the party high command,” said a political analyst. 1,90,907 voters, including 97,209 female, 93,694 male and 4 third gender can exercise their franchise in Marwahi by poll. Counting will be held on November 10. After the announcement of the elections major political developments have taken place in Marwahi assembly constituency where several BJP and the JCC(J) leaders have joined the Congress party. In another major setback to BJP and JCC(J) ahead of Marwahi by-election, at least 55 BJP workers joined Congress party in presence of CPCC President Mohan Markam in Marwahi on Friday. State Congress Spokesman Vikas Tiwari informed that at least 55 workers of the BJP and JCC (J) joined the Congress party in Marwahi.