Chhattisgarh Assembly Election Result 2018 LIVE: Congress gains massive lead over BJP

Live updates of the 2018 Chhattisgarh Assembly election result. Congress is hoping to oust CM Raman Singh-led BJP government in the state

Bijapur had recorded the lowest voter turnout in the 2018 assembly polls. Congress is leading from the seat.
Congress leads in bellwether Jagdalpur seat

Jagdalpur, the bellwether seat in Chhattisgarh, has always voted the party that eventually came to power in the state for the past nine assemblies. This is including when the seat was a part of Madhya Pradesh, before the formation of Chhattisgarh. Congress is currently leading from Jagdalpur.
Five ministers in state cabinet trailing, CM Raman Singh leads by thin margin

Five ministers in Singh's cabinet were trailing after the end of fourth round of counting, a poll official said.

Three ministers were leading, he added.

State minister Rajesh Munat was behind Congress' Vikas Upadhyay in Raipur City West Assembly seat, Amar Agarwal was trailing behind Shailesh Pande of the Congress in Bilaspur segment, while Brij Mohan Agarwal was behind Congress' Kanhaiyya Agrawal in Raipur city south segment. Besides, minister Kedarnath Kashyap was closely behind. Narayan Kashyap of the Congress in Narayanpur segment while Dayal Das Baghel was trailing behind Congress' Gurudayal Singh. Banjare in Navagarh segment.

Another minister Mahesh Gagdha was also trailing behind Congress' Vikram Mandavi in Bijapur segment. Minister Prem Prakash Pandey was ahead of Congress candidate Devendra Yadav in Bhilainagar seat, while Lal Rajwade was leading over Ambika Singh Dev of the Congress in Bainkuthpur.

BJP minister Ajay Chandrakar was also leading over Laxmikanta Sahu of the Congress in Kurud seat, as per the latest trends.
Of the 18 seats which went to polls in the first phase of the elections in the state, the BJP has gained lead in only 2 of the seats.

Khairagarh: Congress

Dongargarh: Congress

Rajnandgaon: BJP

Dongargaon: Congress

Khujji: Congress

Mohla-Manpur: Congress

Antagarh: Congress

Bhanupratappur: Congress

Kanker: Congress

Keshkal: Congress

Kondagaon: Congress

Narayanpur: Congress

Bastar: Congress

Jagdalpur: Congress

Chitrakot: Congress

Dantewada: BJP

Bijapur: Congress

Konta: Others
Congress leads in 67 seats, BJP in 16 and JCC-BSP in 6

The grand old party has managed to retain its initial lead in the state and is leading with a massive margin, trends till 12:30 have shown. While the party is leading in 67 seats, BJP is leading in 16. The JCC-BSP alliance, which is being presented as a regional alternative to the two national parties, has managed to lead in six seats till now.
CM Raman Singh leading by 1,200 votes

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh is leading by a margin of 1,200 votes in Rajnandgaon assembly constituency, election officials said. Singh is pitted against Karuna Shukla (Congress), niece of former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. (PTI)
Congress' Umesh Patel is leading in Kharsia assembly seat. BJP has fielded OP Choudhury, former Raipur collector against Patel, whose father and brother had been killed during Maoist ambush on Congress convoy in 2013.
This is anger of the people: Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut has said that while he won't say these are victories for Congress, he said that "this is an anger of people. Self-reflection is needed."
There is going to be a change in 2019: NC chief Farooq Abdullah

Reacting to the early trends, which have shown a lead for Congress in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah has said that the people are "tired of BJP... Unemployment... farmers... Rupee state... the trend is there going to be a change in 2019," Abdullah said.
The vote percentage in the state has always been very close, with the 2013 assembly elections having a vote share difference of 0.7 percent. As of 11:45 am, the vote share for Congress in 77 seats of the 90 in contest, is 43.8 percent while the BJP has a vote share percent of 31.8 percent.
Jogi family in lead

All three candidates contesting from the Jogi family— Ajit Jogi and his wife Renu Jogi from JCC ticket while Renu Jogi, Jogi's daughter-in-law, from BSP ticket— are leading in their constituencies of Marwahi, Kota and Akaltara respectively.