Exit poll Chhattisgarh: State may be heading towards hung assembly but slight edge to Congress

NEW DELHI: Exit polls on Thursday predicted a neck and neck fight between the Congress and the BJP in Chhattisgarh with most agencies giving a slight edge to the Congress. The Chhattisgarh assembly has 90 seats with a majority mark of 46 seats.
Edge to Congress
The 2023 Chhattisgarh Assembly elections were held in two phases, on November 7 (for 20 seats) and 17 (for remaining 70 seats), to elect all 90 members of the state’s Legislative Assembly.The results will be announced on December 3.
As per Jan Ki Baat exit poll, the Congress is likely to win 42-53 seats; BJP: 35-45 seats; and Others: 3
Axis My India has predicted that Congress may win 40-50 seats, BJP: 36-46; and Others: 1-5.
CNX has given a slight edge to the Congress, which it predicted will win 46-56 seats while BJP may win 30-40 seats.
ABP News-C Voter gave a small edge to the BJP and predicted that the party will win 36-48 seats while the COngress may get 41-53 seats.
According to Matrize, the state may get a hung assembly with the Congress getting 34-42 seats and BJP 44-52 seats.
Today’s Chanakya has predicted a comfortable win for Congress with 57 seats and BJP with 33 seats.
Meanwhile, Polstrat also gave a razor-sharp edge to Congress with 40-50 seats while BJP may get 35-45 seats.
Dainik Bhaskar has also given advantage to Congress with the party winning 46-55 seats, and BJP 35-45 seats.
Times Now-ETG also said the Congress may win the state with 48-56 seats while the BJP may get 32-40 seats.
Congress banks on Baghel
In the last assembly polls in 2018, the Congress had secured a landslide victory, winning 68 seats against the ruling BJP’s 15 seats, and consequently formed the government after 15 years as opposition party.

The Congress currently holds 71 seats in the 90-member state assembly. The party now aims to win 75 seats in the upcoming elections riding on strong local leadership and pro-poor and welfare schemes.

The Congress is hoping to retain the state in 2023 and its campaign slogan is “Fir se Congress layenge” (will bring congress again). The party’s manifesto has promised to continue and expand its existing welfare schemes, such as the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, which provides financial assistance to farmers, and the Narva, Garva, Ghurva, Badi Yojana, which is a rural development programme. Baghel has promised to continue working for the development of the state if the Congress is re-elected, while also accusing the BJP of being anti-farmer and anti-poor, and of failing to develop the state when it was in power.
The party is riding on the popularity of CM Bhupesh Baghel at the time when its main opponent is going with a ‘collective leadership’. The ruling party is also seeking to cash in on CM Baghel’s popularity as he has a significant hold over the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and rural voters.

BJP pins hope on Modi magic
After suffering an embarrassment in the state in 2018, the BJP is hoping to storm back into power by highlighting the achievements of the Modi government. The party’s manifesto, titled ‘Modi’s Guarantee for Chhattisgarh 2023’ has promised to create one lakh new jobs, provide free electricity to farmers, and increase the minimum support price for paddy to ₹3,100 per quintal. The BJP has also promised to improve infrastructure, healthcare, and education in the state.
The BJP’s campaign was led by Amit Shah, who attacked the Baghel government over alleged corruption, lawlessness, and the neglect of farmers and tribals. He also accused the Congress of promoting religious conversion and appeasement politics. The party had also alleged that the Congress was soft on Naxalites and that the state had witnessed an increase in Naxal violence in recent years.
(With inputs from agencies)