Chhattisgarh Assembly Election Results: BJP dominates with 46.27 pc vote share, Congress trails at 42.23 pc

In a sweeping victory, the BJP triumphed in Chhattisgarh's tribal heartland, securing a significant 46.27 per cent vote share compared to the incumbent Congress's 42.23 per cent, as revealed by data released by the Election Commission (EC) during the vote count for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Telangana.

The BJP clinched an outright majority, claiming 54 seats while the Congress trailed with 35 seats, out of a total of 1,181 candidates vying for positions in the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly.

The electoral battle unfolded in two phases, with 223 candidates in the first phase on November 7 and 958 candidates in the second phase on November 17, encompassing major contenders such as the BJP, Congress, Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC), and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Additionally, regional players like the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP), the Hamar Raj Party (HRP), and the Left parties were part of the electoral landscape.

The BJP's triumph in Chhattisgarh defied earlier exit poll projections that anticipated a tight contest with a potential Congress victory. The decisive mandate for the BJP in this tribal region is seen as a rejection of the Congress's promise of a caste census.

Throughout their campaign, Congress leaders pledged to conduct a caste census in the state if re-elected, asserting that it would facilitate fair allocation to backward communities based on their population. However, the election results suggest that this promise failed to resonate with the electorate, indicating a different priority among voters.