![\"Pass](\"https:\/\/c.ndtvimg.com\/2023-11\/bfjf1bv8_bhupesh-baghel_625x300_14_November_23.jpeg\"\/ "\\"Pass")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNew Delhi: <\/b><\/p>\n
The Congress has not won consecutive elections in the same state in over two decades; the last time it successfully defended a government was Madhya Pradesh in 1993 and 1998, when Digvijaya Singh was Chief Minister and it decimated the BJP – winning 174 and 172 of 230 seats.<\/p>\n
That unwelcome streak could end today with victory in Chhattisgarh, where exit polls have given Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s Congress government a distinct edge over the BJP.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Four exit polls expect the party to cross the majority mark of 46 (the Chhattisgarh Assembly has 90 seats) on its own, two more predict 42-44 and the remaining three give it more than 40 each.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only two of nine exit polls give the BJP the haul of 46+ seats it needs to win the state.<\/p>\n
The Congress’ score, when the dust settles, may not be as impressive as the 68 in 2018 but, if the party does retain Chhattisgarh, it will be a major boost ahead of next year’s general election.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And if Mr Baghel is sworn in for a second term, it will be despite a last-minute controversy – corruption allegations four days before polling – threatened to derail the Congress’ campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The allegations surfaced after the Enforcement Directorate, which the opposition claims is used by the BJP to target rivals before elections, arrested a ‘hawala’ courier with Rs 5 crore. The courier named Mr Baghel as one of those receiving kickbacks from an illegal online gaming app.<\/p>\n
A week after the second and final phase of polling the courier retracted the allegation.<\/p>\n
Away from the corruption allegation, the Congress’ re-election campaign was built on a pro-poor and pro-farmer platform, including Mr Baghel’s price support guarantee for rice, a scheme to purchase cow dung for Rs 2 per kg, and the promise of loan waivers.<\/p>\n
Mr Baghel courted OBC voters – they account for over 40 per cent of the state population – to plot the rebirth of the Congress in 2018, after the 2013 Maoist attack wiped out its state leadership.<\/p>\n
For the 2023 election, the canny Chief Minister changed tacks, claiming improvements in infrastructure development and education, and increased support for farmers, who constitue, by some estimates, a massive 90 per cent of Chhattisgarh’s population.<\/p>\n
And the early signs are promising for the Congress; a NDTV pre-poll survey in October indicated 39 per cent of the electorate would be happy with Mr Baghel to continue as Chief Minister. The closest BJP face was three-time former Chief Minister Raman Singh – a good 15 per cent behind.<\/p>\n
Nearly 80 per cent were at least ‘somewhat satisfied’ with the Congress and, on governance, Mr Baghel scored big – 56 per cent, 64 per cent, and 53 per cent said the conditions of roads, and supply of electricity and drinking water had improved on his watch.<\/p>\n
Crucially, the BJP has also been outmaneuvered on the subject of religion – widely seen as its go-to poll platform – with the Mr Baghel’s government piggybacking on the Ram Temple issue.<\/p>\n
Will this be enough to hold back a BJP that won three consecutive elections between 2003 and 2018? We’ll know by this evening, possibly sooner.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n