Baghel aide & farmer leader takes on ex-CM Raman Singh in Rajnandgaon

Rajnandgaon, Nov 4 (IANS) Rajnandgaon is one of the most talked about assembly seats in Chhattisgarh as it is a stronghold of former Chief Minister and BJP leader Raman Singh.

Congress has fielded Girish Dewangan against Singh, who is a close aide of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, and this is the reason why people are considering the contest here as a direct fight between Singh and Baghel.

Rajnandgaon has become an impregnable fort for the BJP during the last three elections. Also, the seat has given the BJP one of its longest-serving chief ministers.

Singh is a prominent face for the BJP in the state and thus, the Congress wants to win against him at all costs, that is why the party has fielded Girish Dewangan, a farmer leader and confidant of Chief Minister Baghel. In the four elections held after the formation of the state, Congress has won once and BJP has won thrice.

In elections, every political party aims to defeat its opponent. Therefore, to defeat Singh, Baghel has made a special strategy and fielded Dewangan as a new face against the veteran BJP leader.

Devangan is a farmer leader and can give a tough fight as Singh’s victory margin fell to around 17,000 votes in 2018.

On the Rajnandgaon seat, the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) play decisive roles in elections and the Congress feels that it can strengthen its position by making caste census an issue.

Political analysts believe that anyone can win the election, no matter who wins, but the Rajnandgaon election will definitely be interesting. The big reason behind this is Chief Minister Baghel is himself standing behind Dewangan.

–IANS

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