Congress fields Vajpayee’s niece Karuna Shukla against Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh

The seat is among the 18 seats where voting will be held in the first phase of state assembly elections November 12.

Updated on: Nov 2, 2018, 14:41:49 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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The Congress on Monday fielded former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s niece Karuna Shukla against chief minister Raman Singh in the Rajnandgaon assembly constituency in Chhattisgarh.

Karuna Shukla’s name was among the six candidates Congress announced for the first phase of polls. The party had announced 12 candidates earlier. (ANI Photo)

In the second list released by the party for the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly election, the party declared its candidates for the remaining six constituencies. It earlier declared candidates for 12 seats. The first phase of polling for the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will be held on November 12 and the last date for filing of nominations is October 23.

Shukla was a member of 14th Lok Sabha from Janjir constituency. In 2009, she contested against Congress leader Charandas Mahant from Korba constituency and lost. Subsequently, she was sidelined by the BJP after which she joined the Congress in 2014.

She contested Lok Sabha election from Bilaspur constituency in 2014 and was defeated by BJP’s Lakhan Lal Sahu.

In the list released on Monday, the Congress re-nominated two sitting MLAs while two others were denied tickets. Three new faces who have been fielded are Channi Sahu (Khujji), Bhuvneshwar Singh Baghel (Dongargarh) and Indra Shah Mandavi (Mohla-Manpur).

“The Congress is fighting a lost battle in Rajnandgaon. No one can match the popularity of chief minister Raman Singh in the constituency. Everyone knows what he has done for Rajnandgaon,” said Sacchinand Upasane, BJP spokesperson.

Janata Congress Chhattisgarh’s ( JCC) chief Ajit Jogi had earlier said that he will fight against Raman Singh from Rajnandgaon, but on Saturday, he declared that he will not fight assembly elections and will concentrate on campaigning.

“The fight in Rajnandgaon will be interesting if Jogi is not fighting. Jogi would have harmed Congress only but now Raman Singh has to prove himself,” said Ashok Tomar, a political commentator in Raipur.

Chhattisgarh has 90-member Assembly and the polls there are being held in two phases on November 12 and November 20. The counting of the votes will be held on December 11.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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