New Delhi, Nov 19: Will another round elections be sacrificed for the tussle among the Congress leaders all across? Despite a neck and neck political battle in Chhattisgarh between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ever since the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh and even now, the Congress has been mostly losing to its rival due to infighting in the party. The same is being repeated once against in all the three states as Chhattisgarh goes for second phase of elections on November 20.
Though the situation is more or less similar in all the three states - Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh - where both the principal rival political parties are in direct contest but Chhattisgarh has always been a very close contest. This time too it is the same very close contest.
There are four major important groups that seem to be taking on the chief minister, the most important of them being leader of opposition in the state Assembly T S Singh Deo, who hired a PR company working for him to boost his image. But there are caste factors behind pitting all these leaders. But social media campaign has increased Singh Deo's popularity beyond his constituency Ambikapur making him the strongest contender for the post of chief minister in case Congress emerge victorious in the state.
The infighting in Chhattisgarh is mostly due to the leadership issue as despite Raman Singh being in the government for 15 years, there is no palpable anger against him. State Congress president Bhupesh Baghel has been the most pro-active leader against the state government but the Congress leadership by fielding senior Congress leader Bhaktcharan Das and Lok Sabha MP and effective leader Tamradhwaj Sahu in the state Assembly elections caused a little unease among the Congress leadership in the state.
All these leaders are not only working independently in the state but will be taking care for the victory to make their claim for the post of CM. So there is complete lack of coordination in the state. More or less similar situation prevails in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where top leaders of the party defying and speaking against each other in a veiled manner but it can well be understood by people. Political Analysts say that in a situation where there is a close fight coordination do matter in elections and get voters to the booth.