Bilaspur will witness a face-off between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. While BJP started its preparations for the Lok Sabha soon after the assembly polls, Congress is yet to overcome the malaise arising due to fielding of an outsider overlooking the claims of local party leaders. Both BJP and the Congress have intensified their election preparations at every level ahead of the elections. While BJP declared Tokhan Sahu as its candidate well in advance the Congress came up with its proclamation of candidate only recently. Immediately after Congress faced internal discord when former Bodri Nagar Panchayat Chairman Jagdish Sahu staged a silent protest against the party high command for overlooking his candidacy. It took three days for party leaders to persuade him to call off his demonstration.

 

Despite Congress’ efforts to unify its members for the upcoming elections, the BJP appears confident after its victory in the assembly polls. Chhattisgarh has seen four Lok Sabha elections since its inception, with the BJP emerging victorious each time, even when fielding candidates from different districts. Congress, on the other hand, has typically relied on local candidates, except in 2014 when they nominated Karuna Shukla from Baloda Bazaar district, who lost to the BJP candidate Lakhanlal Sahu. In 2004, Punnulal Mohiley from Mungeli district defeated Dr. Basant Pahare, representing the Congress. In 2009 BJP candidate Dilip Singh Judev of Jashpur district defeated Dr Renu Jogi and in 2019 Arun Sao of Mungeli district defeated Atal Shrivastava. BJP’s Tokhan Sahu represents Mungeli district while Devendra Singh Yadav of Congress is from Bhilai in Durg district.

 

After the announcement of its candidate BJP leaders have started massive campaigning on social media and also its leaders visiting every wards, blocks, tehsils and village panchayats focusing on the schemes initiated by Modi government for the benefits of people and their overall development. Senior party leaders are conducting regular meetings of party workers at every booth level to strengthen its position and ensure party’s victory with a record margin. Congress remains preoccupied with efforts to appease disgruntled leaders,despite their assertions that they have resolved internal conflicts. They have now mobilized their workers to engage in extensive campaigning and highlight the shortcomings of the BJP government at the center.