Congress wins Chhattisgarh’s Khairagarh assembly seat by margin of 20,000 votes

The ruling Congress had promised the people that it would make Khairagarh a district if it wins the seat, which is believed to be the main reason behind the victory.

Published on: Apr 16, 2022, 16:53:56 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh has won the Khairagarh assembly bypoll by a huge margin of over 20,000 votes on Saturday, a poll official said.

Congress in Chhattisgarh has won the Khairagarh assembly bypoll by a huge margin of over 20,000 votes on Saturday. (REUTERS PHOTO.)

The by-election was required after Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) MLA and former MP Devvrat Singh died in November last year.

With the fourth by-poll victory since 2018, Congress now has 71 seats in the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly.

The ruling Congress had promised the people that it would make Khairagarh a district if it wins the seat, which is believed to be the main reason behind the victory.

This time, the BJP has once again fielded Komal Janghel, a former MLA, for the bypoll, while Yashoda Verma, the Khairagarh block unit chief of Congress, is the ruling party’s nominee. Janghel and Verma both belong to the Lodhi caste, a numerically powerful OBC community in the Khairagarh area.

Political analysts of Chhattisgarh believe that the victory was anticipated but the margin suggests that BJP workers want to change their party leadership in the state.

“After the declaration that Congress will carve out Khairagarh district, the Congress victory was anticipated but the margin of nearly 20,000 votes clearly suggests that BJP workers and voters want to change their leadership in the state,” said Sudeip Shrivastava.

Former chief minister and senior BJP leader Raman Singh claimed that the Congress has won only on the basis of the announcement of forming a new district.

“The ruling Congress has done nothing for the people of the state hence they came up with the announcement of forming Khairagarh district .The question is whether all 90 constituencies will be declared districts in 2023 elections...They are misleading the people of the state,” said Singh.

In the 2018 assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, the Congress registered a landslide victory winning 68 seats in the 90-member House decimating the BJP to 15. The JCC (J) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had bagged 5 and 2 seats respectively.

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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