Chhattisgarh Congress MLA Anoop Nag, who was denied ticket by the party, on Friday, filed his nomination as an independent candidate from his Antagarh constituency.
“I have defected one of the tallest leaders in the region so why they have denied the ticket? People are with me. I will win this election,” said Nag on Friday.
He said that people of his constituency as well as adjoining areas are dismayed that he has been denied a ticket.
“For the last five years, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, I worked in the area. Despite that, such a decision was taken. I was expecting to get another chance from the party to serve the people but it did not happen,” Nag said.
Nag had won from Antagarh, a seat reserved for the Scheduled Tribe category, by a margin of 13,414 votes against Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Vikram Usendi in the 2018 elections.
The ruling Congress has denied tickets to 18 sitting legislators, including Nag, in its two lists of 83 candidates announced so far.
From Antagarh, the Congress this time has fielded Roop Singh Potai, while the BJP has re-nominated Usendi, a former state minister and ex-MP.
Antagarh is among the 20 seats going to polls in the first phase of voting on November 7. Votes will be cast in the remaining 70 seats in the state in the second phase on November 17. Counting of votes will done on December 3.
{{/usCountry}}Antagarh is among the 20 seats going to polls in the first phase of voting on November 7. Votes will be cast in the remaining 70 seats in the state in the second phase on November 17. Counting of votes will done on December 3.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress registered a landslide victory in the 2018 polls winning 68 seats in the 90-member assembly and comfortably formed the government.
The BJP was reduced to 15 seats, while the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh and the Bahujan Samaj Party bagged five and two seats, respectively. The current strength of the Congress in the House is 71.