Marwahi bypoll: BJP, Congress and JCC-J lock horns for Ajit Jogi's fief

RAIPUR: The upcoming bypoll in the scheduled tribe reserved Assembly seat of Marwahi in Chhattisgarh is set to witness an evenly poised triangular contest.

In all likelihood, the three-cornered electoral battle will see a close contest among the ruling Congress and the opposition parties—BJP and Janta Congress Chhattisgarh-Jogi (JCC-J).

The bypoll was necessitated following the demise of sitting MLA and former chief minister Ajit Jogi who represented the Marwahi seat four times.

While JCC-J has already decided to field its state president Amit Jogi, son of the ex-CM. The Congress and the BJP after scrutinising had reportedly finalised a panel of four names each and will select their respective party candidate for the by-poll ahead of the filing of nomination papers, which is scheduled to begin from October 9.

Congress, which remains optimistic after winning the two bypolls -- Dantewada and Chitrakote last year, cited the Marwahi seat traditionally as their stronghold.

“After the formation of Chhattisgarh state, the four elections held in Marwahi were won by Congress candidate (Ajit Jogi was in Congress party before he floated a regional outfit JCC-J in June 2016). And yet again the electorates will elect the Congress candidate. Our good governance has gained wide acceptance and secured the trust of the people,” said chief minister Bhupesh Baghel.

In 2018 polls, the Congress candidate came at number 3 position. Ajit Jogi then as JCC-J candidate secured 74041 votes, defeating the BJP candidate Archana Porte by a margin of 46462.

Amit might possibly feel the impact of 'sympathy wave' turning the tide in his favour owing to his father’s popularity in Marwahi as the constituency has been represented by the Jogi family for the past 20 years. In 2013 Assembly elections, the reserved seat was won by Amit Jogi.

The BJP, however, is expecting to gain banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development plank beside the division among its anti-vote between the Congress and the JCC-J. 

Both BJP and JCC-J seems confidant of victory as they accused the ruling Congress on extending a greater focus in recent weeks on Marwahi keeping an eye on the elections.

Ajit Jogi and his son Amit were expelled from Congress party owing to anti-party activities in 2016.

The polling is on November 3.