Chhattisgarh Assembly elections 2023: The stage is set for voting to take place in 20 of the 90 seats in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, November 7. Campaigning for the elections which ended on Sunday saw a slew of top leaders make a final push for their respective parties. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi targetted Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel over his alleged link to the Mahadev betting scam, the Congress shot back stating that the BJP was using central agencies to target its political opponents.

While the ruling Congress has chosen to go with incumbent CM Bhupesh Baghel as its face for the campaign, the BJP is banking on the popularity of Prime Minister Modi and the impact of several central schemes to work their magic on voters. The BJP, which had ruled the state since its formation, was displaced from power by a resurgent Congress. The BJP was restricted to just 18 seats as the Congress went home with a landslide victory, winning 68 seats to form a government after serving as the Opposition party for 15 years.

Also Read: Chhattisgarh Election 2023: Candidates, CM faces, poll schedule | Details inside

Chhattisgarh Election 2023: Seats going to polls on November 7

A total of 20 seats will go to polls as part of the first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh. These include Pandariya, Kawardha, Khairagarh, Dongargarh (SC), Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Mohla-Manpur (ST), Antagarh (ST), Bhanupratappur (ST), Kanker (ST), Keshkal (ST), Kondagaon (ST), Narayanpur (ST), Bastar (ST), Jagdalpur, Chitrakot (ST), Dantewada (ST), Bijapur (ST) and Konta (ST).

Polling will begin at 8 AM tomorrow amid a thick blanket of security. The Chhattisgarh police has deployed 60,000 security personnel who will be deployed in the sensitive Bastar region which has 12 Assembly segments. According to police, more than 600 polling booths fall under in areas of the Naxal-hit Bastar division, which will vote on Tuesday in the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections.

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Chhattisgarh Election Phase-1: Three-layered security cover

According to officials, about 60,000 security personnel including 40,000 from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and 20,000 from the state police, have been deployed for the smooth conduct of polls in Bastar division. Police said that the security apparatus will include members of the elite anti-Naxal CoBRA unit and women commandos. As many as 149 polling stations in five assembly constituencies of the Bastar division have been shifted to the nearest police station and security camps amid security concerns.

Officials further said that security personnel will deploy drones and helicopters to monitor Naxal activities while dog squads and a bomb disposal team will be roped in additionally. Special arrangements have also been made at 12 sensitive seats in the Bastar region where polling will be held tomorrow.

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As per the Inspector General of Police, 9 seats will see polling from 7 AM to 3 PM while voters will be allowed to cast their ballot from 8 AM to 5 PM at the remaining three seats. Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Konta seats are the ones where polling will be held from 7 AM to 3 PM. Bastar, Jagdalpur and Chitrakot will vote from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Special forces from adjoining states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha will also handle the front along the interstate border, the official added.

Chhattisgarh Elections 2023: 149 polling stations shifted

As many as 149 polling stations in Bijapur, Narayanpur, Antagarh, Dantewada and Konta assembly constituencies have been shifted to the nearest police station and security camp in view of security concerns, officials said, adding that the 2018 Assembly polls and the Lok Sabha elections saw 196 and 330 polling stations being relocated in the region.

Also Read: Chhattisgarh Election Date 2023: Voting in two phases on Nov 7 and 17, results on Dec 3

New polling stations have been established in more than 126 locations this time. Of these, 40 polling stations like Minpa, Galgam, Silger, and Chandameta were re-established in their original villages after the security situation normalised there, a statement said. At least five polling stations in each of the seven districts of the Bastar division will be under the protection of women commandos.

The second phase of polling in Chhattisgarh will take place on November 17 while the results will be declared after the counting of votes on December 3.

(With Agencies)