The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) repeated its 2004 showing in Chhattisgarh, winning 10 of the 11 Lok Sabha seats. Even in 2004, the BJP had won 10 while Congress won the remaining seat.
The saffron party continued its successful run from last November's Assembly elections, the campaign for which was supervised by Chief Minister Raman Singh. The Raman effect was so powerful that in Chhattisgarh a vote for BJP did not translate into support for Advani as PM, but showed people's faith in Raman Singh.
BJP's veteran tribal leader Baliram Kashyap, who won LS poll a fourth time, went so far as to say that the decision to project LK Advani as the “PM-in-waiting” a blunder. This caused some flutter in the state BJP office amid all the victory celebrations.
For the Congress, Rahul Gandhi's youth appeal and the Sonia factor didn't excite the voters. Moreover, the infighting among the party's local leaders cost the party dear, a Congress leader told the Hindustan Times.
Overall, the BJP succeeded in projecting itself as the more disciplined, well-organised party that contested the elections sincerely and tactfully.
{{/usCountry}}Overall, the BJP succeeded in projecting itself as the more disciplined, well-organised party that contested the elections sincerely and tactfully.
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