With every exit poll predicting a hatrik for the Congress-led government, the grand old party was taken aback after the Bharatiya Janata Party won Chhattisgarh with 54 seats, thus putting an end to a possible hatrik victory.
Outgoing chief minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel submitted his resignation to Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan on Sunday. Talking to reporters, he said, “We humbly accept the mandate of the people.”
Though Baghel won his constituency Patan defeating BJP candidate Vijay Baghel by 19,723 votes, he could not retain his state.
Counting of votes in elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly started at 8 am. Initially, it looked like the Congress was all set to regain its state but as the day went by, Chhattisgarh’s political map began to change.
BJP leader and possible chief minister face Raman Singh hammered Congress’s candidate Girish Dewangan by securing 102499 votes as against Dewangan’s 57415 votes. Earlier while speaking to reporters, a confident Raman Singh said the BJP would win with an absolute majority.
The saffron party gained key constituencies including, Chitrakot, Dantewada, Konta, Bilaspur, Raipur City (North), Raipur City (West), Raipur City (South), Durg (Rural), Ambikapur, Sitapur, Korba, Lormi and Rajnandgaon.
Apart from BJP and Congress, the only other party that was able to secure a seat was Gondvana Gantantra Party whose candidate, Tuleshwar Hira Singh Markam, from the Pali-Tanakhar constituency won by 60862 votes.
This is how the political map of Chhattisgarh looks now.
Voting was held in two phases – November 7 and November 17 – with 78% and 75.88% voter turnout respectively in 33 districts.
Previously, the BJP has formed government in the state for three consecutive years which was broken in 2018 when the Congress-led Bhupesh Baghel government defeated the saffron party.
| Parties | Total Assembly seats | Leading | Win/Loss |
| BJP | 90 | 0 | 54 |
| Congress | 90 | 0 | 35 |
| Others | 90 | 1 |
LIVE updates:
22:39pm: Outgoing chief minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel has humbly accepted defeat. “The people’s mandate has always been on the head. Even today I accept this result with my head bowed. There is satisfaction in the fact that in the last 5 years, I have fulfilled every promise made to you, tried to give more than the promise and served Chhattisgarh Mahtari to the best of my ability. The expectations and aspirations of the public are great, I respect the wisdom of the public,” he wrote on X.
22:37pm: “Chhattisgarh is celebrating second Diwali today,”, wrote BJP leader Raman Singh on X.
22:17pm: “I have submitted my resignation (from CM post) to the Governor of Chhattisgarh Biswabhusan Harichandan. We humbly accept the mandate of the people,” says Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel after defeat in the assembly polls.
21:55pm: State deputy chief minister T S Baba narrowly lost to BJP’s Rajesh Agrawal by 94 votes in the Ambikapur constituency. While Agrawal scored 90780 votes, the Congress leader settled with 90686 votes.
21:10pm: BJP candidate Chaitram Atami secured an easy win in Dantewada defeating Congress’s Chhavindra Karma by 16803 votes.
21:00pm: Tuleshwar Hira Singh Markam from the Gondvana Gantantra Party wins Pali-Tanakhar constituency by 60862 votes.
20:57pm: Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel retains his home turn Patan securing 95438 votes followed by his nephew BJP’s Vijay Baghel with 75715 votes.
20:47pm: “BJP is committed to the development of the backward and the extremely backward classes,” said Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on the party’s lead in the state.
20:37pm: Chhattisgarh Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu lost to BJP’s Lalit Chandrakar by 16642 votes. He was contesting from Durg (Rural).
20:02pm: Zero tolerance against corruption, appeasement and familism: PM Modi
19:33pm: Chhattisgarh BJP chief and MP Arun Sao defeats Congress leader Thaneshwar Sahu from Lormi seat by 45,891 votes.
19:32pm: BJP Chhattisgarh in-charge Nitin Nabin on state election results “BJP will form the government with a clear majority in Chhattisgarh. The Congress govt did the work of looting the people of the state, and the people have replied to this today.”
19:24pm: Tuleshwar Hira Singh Markam from the Gondvana Gantantra Party is leading by 60523 votes in Pali-Tanakhar constituency.
19:18pm: Congress leader Baghel Lakeshwar wins Maoist-Bastar constituency with 68401 votes.
19:01pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at BJP headquarters in Delhi for election celebrations.
18:51pm: BJP’s Omprakash Choudhary wins Raigarh with 129134 votes; Poorv Sainik Ramkumar Toppo wins Sitapur with 83088 votes; Motilal Sahu wins Raipur (Rural) with 113032 votes; Rajesh Munat wins Raipur City (West) with 98938 votes and Purandar Mishra wins Raipur City (North) with 54279 votes.
18:41pm: BJP’s Raman Singh emerges victorious from Rajnandgaon constituency defeating Congress’s candidate Girish Dewangan by a huge margin. Singh secured 102499 votes and Dewangan received 57415 votes
18:30pm: Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma wins Konta seat, one of the key constituencies by 32776 votes.
18:26pm: CM Bhupesh Baghel leads from his home turf Patan by 95438 votes. Deputy CM TS Dev Singh (56269 votes) is trailing behind BJP’s Rajesh Agrawal (65396 votes) in Ambikapur constituency.
18:19pm: Celebrations are underway at the BJP headquarters in Delhi as the party leads in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan elections. Party president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrive.
18:16pm: BJP bags 16 constituencies while Congress is at 10.
18:12pm: Congress currently holds 9 constituencies – Dharamjaigarh, Sarangarh, Rampur, Kota, Masturi, Khujji, Bijaour, Bhanupratappur and Dongargarh.
17:58pm: BJP’s Vinayak Goyal has won the Chitrokot constituency with 63954 votes.
17:56pm: As per the latest EC data, BJP won Raipur City (North), Abhanpur, Jagdalpur, Bilaspur, Beltara, Korba, Kunkuri, Jashpur, Ramanujganj, Chitrakot, Manendragarh and Takhatpur constituencies. Congress won Sarangarh, Rampur, Masturi, Khujji and Bijapur constituencies.
17:21pm: Union home minister Amit Shah thanks people of Chhattisgarh for voting for BJP. “The tribal, poor and farmer sisters and brothers of Chhattisgarh have expressed their faith in the Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and blessed the BJP with a huge majority. I express my gratitude to the people of Chhattisgarh for this huge victory,” he tweets.
16:51pm: “I had told that the BJP will form a government in Chhattisgarh,” says BJP candidate Vijay Baghel. He is contesting from Patan where he is trailing from chief minister Bhupesh Baghel.
16:47pm: Jubilations are in full swing in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, as BJP workers celebrate Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan poll wins.
16:41pm: “We bow to the Janta Janardan,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated party workers in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where the party is looking for a landslide win.
“The results in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan indicate that the people of India are firmly with politics of good governance and development, which the @BJP4India stands for. I thank the people of these states for their unwavering support and assure them that we will keep working tirelessly for their well-being. A special thanks to the hardworking Party Karyakartas. Each of them is exemplary! They have worked tirelessly and highlighted our development agenda among the people,” he wrote on X.
16:38pm: “Win was obvious,” says a BJP supporter at the party office in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Celebrations have begun as BJP leads by 54 votes in the state while Congress trails behind by 36 votes.
16:22pm: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed disappointment in party’s poll performance in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
16:10pm: BJP’s Indra Kumar Sahu wins with 93295 votes in Abhanpur constituency. He is followed by Congress leader Dhanendra Sahu with 77742 votes.
16:04pm: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel’s residence in Raipur wears a deserted look. Chhattisgarh is on its way to elect a BJP government.
16:02pm: Visuals from outside the Congress office in Raipur.
16:00pm: Congress leading in Patan, Bastar, Konta and Bhilai Nagar constituencies while BJP leads in Ambikapur, Dantewada, Chitrakot, Saja, Raipur City North, Raipur City West and Raipur City South areas.
15:39pm: “We have got a very good success in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and the public has supported our policies, formed under the guidance of PM Modi,” says Union Minister Nitin Gadkari as BJP nears victory in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
15:28pm: Chief minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel is leading by 64522 votes in Patan while BJP’s Rama Singh is leading by 73855 votes.
15:21pm: Raipur City West currently sees BJP’s Rajesh Munnat leading with 62734 votes, as per the latest ECI numbers. “I would like to credit the guarantees of PM Modi for this victory,” says BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal, BJP candidate for Raipur City South.
15:16pm: BJP leaders Rajesh Agrawal is leading in Ambikapur, Vinayak Goyal in Chitrakot, Chaitram Atami in Dantewada, while Congress leaders Bhupesh Baghel are leading in Patan, Baghel Lakheshwar in Bastar, Kawasi Lakhma in Konta
15:03pm: Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel (Patan) and his deputy T S Baba (Ambikapur) are currently leading their respective constituencies along with other Congress leader Deepak Kumar Baij (Chitrakot), while Chaitram Atami (Dantewara) is trailing. Similarly, BJP’s Raman Singh (Rajnandgaon) is leading.
14:50pm: Five former ministers – Bhaiyyalal Rajwade (Baikunthpur), Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur), Rajesh Munat (Raipur City West), Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur) and Dayaldas Baghel (Nawagarh) – who lost the 2018 Chhattisgarh assembly elections and were re-nominated by the BJP for the polls this time are leading in their respective seats.
14:44pm: BJP leading in 55 of 90 assembly seats in Chhattisgarh, Congress ahead in 32 seats as per trends: Election Commission
14:28pm: On election results, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari says, “The people of the country have shown their mood through these elections. We got good success in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. People have supported our schemes. I thank PM Modi. party President JP Nadda, party workers, people of these states. Now development will happen at a faster pace here because a double-engine government will be formed…”
13:53pm: Speaking to reporters, Union minister Piyush Goyal praises Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s programmes for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh current leads. “It’s a big victory for PM Modi’s trust that people of India have. People of India have clearly demonstrated once again that they have full faith and confidence in PM Modi’s programmes, his words and his guarantees,” he said.
13:37pm: “The misgovernance of Congress is about to end. The lotus will bloom. Chhattisgarh will move forward on the path of development. Chhattisgarh will get the guarantee of PM Modi. The trends will be converted into reality and we will get more seats than the trends…Those who have looted the state will not be spared. The (CM) will be decided by the MLAs and the central leadership of the party. Very soon we will form the government in the state,” said Chhattisgarh BJP president Arun Sao.
13:31pm: BJP workers celebrate at the party headquarters in Delhi as the party leads in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan elections.
13:04pm: “The people of the state have shown faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s works and guarantees. The PM, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda gave sufficient time (for electioneering) in Chhattisgarh.” BJP’s Raman Singh told reporters.
12:59pm: Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel leading by 2000 votes
12:49pm: Tuleshwar Hira Singh of Gondvana Gantantra Party is leading by 21961 votes followed by Duleshwari Sidar of Congress (14742) and Uike Randyal of the BJP (6666).
12:45pm: Deputy CM and Congress candidate of Ambikapur TS Baba trailing by a margin of 1623 votes after the fourth round of counting, garnering a total of 18240 votes so far.
12:36pm: “We have won the semifinals,” said Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya following BJP’s lead in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh
12:30pm: On Congress trailing in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, party leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam says, “Opposing Sanatan (Dharma) has sunk the party. This country has never accepted caste-based politics…This is the curse of opposing Sanatan (Dharma).”
12:09pm: As per latest election commission data, Bharatiya Janata Party, leading at 53, has crossed the magic number which is 46. Congress is trailing at 36. BJP has 45.87% voter share and Congress 41.89%.
12:01pm: People have blessed BJP in 3 states, endorsed PM Modi’s leadership and rejected Congress’ false promises: Union minister Pralhad Joshi
11:52am: “Bhupesh Baghel didn’t fulfill his promises,” says BJP’s Raman Singh as he leads in Rajnandgaon.
11:47 am: Seven state ministers including chief minister Baghel trailing. BJP’s Chaitram Atami in Dantewada is leading by 2000 votes. BJP’s state chief Arun Sao leading in Lormi
11:43 am: Tables turn for BJP’s Raman Singh as he leads in Rajnandgaon.
11:30 am: BJP candidates are currently leading in the below constituencies. The data is according to the election commission website.
- Chhattisgarh Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu trailing in Durg Rural seat by 1,365 votes against BJP’s Lalit Chandrakar.
- State Congress chief Deepak Baij is behind by 518 votes against BJP’s Vinayak Goyal in Chitrakot seat, according to the EC.
- Chhattisgarh assembly speaker Charan Das Mahant is also trailing in Sakti seat by 897 votes against BJP’s Khilawan Sahu.
- State minister Guru Rudra Kumar, an influential SC community leader, is trailing in Nawagarh seat by 660 votes against BJP’s former minister Dayaldas Baghel.
- In Kawardha seat, minister Mohammad Akbar is trailing by 1,534 votes against BJP’s Vijay Sharma.
- Chhattisgarh minister Shivkumar Dahariya is trailing in Arang seat by 1,700 votes against BJP’s Guru Khushwant Saheb.
- In Korba seat, minister Jai Singh Agrawal is trailing by 837 votes against BJP’s Lakhanlal Dewangan
11:26 am: Adivasi political party, the Hamar Raj Party and the Communist Party of India, each leading on one seat, namely Khujji and Konta respectively, according to the ECI data.
11:10 am: Chhattisgarh is currently coloured equally in blue and saffron
10:59 am: Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is leading against nephew and BJP candidate Vijay Baghel in Patan. Janta Congress Chhattisgarh president Ajit Jogi is currently in third place. State BJP chief Arun Sao was leading in Lormi seat by a margin of 2,376 votes against Congress’ Thaneshwar Sahu after the first round of counting, as per the EC.
10:48 am: Many key Congress leaders in the state are trailing at the moment. Deputy CM TS Singh Dev, Deepak Kumar Baij and Chhavindra Karma – both contesting from Chitrakot and Maoist-affected Dantewada respectively – have been trailing. Similarly, BJP’s Raman Singh, contesting from Rajnandgaon has also been trailing.
10:38 am: BJP leading in 28 of 90 assembly seats in Chhattisgarh; Congress ahead in 25 seats: Election Commission.
10:30 am: State chief minister and Congress leader T S Baba currently trailing.
10:28 am: BJP leading by 48 seats, Congress by 40 and Others by 2
10:23 am: With the saffron party leading currently, state BJP president Arun Sao is confident of the party’s win. “In the last five years, the Congress destroyed Chhattisgarh. People of Chhattisgarh know that only the BJP can protect the state and that’s why they will give their blessings to us,” he told press reporters.
10:11 am: BJP leads the race with 23 seats while Congress trails on 18. However, CM Bhupesh Baghel has won the upper hand and is currently leading.
9:58 am: Congress leading on six seats, BJP on five seats
9:51: Visuals from outside Congress office in Raipur as initial trends favour Congress in Chhattisgarh polls.
9:39am: CM Bhupesh Baghel trailing from Patan constituency.
9:23am: Counting underway in Ambikapur. Deputy CM and senior Congress leader TS Singh Deo is the ruling party’s nominee for the seat. Close fight expected between Congress and BJP
8:00 am: CM Bhupesh Baghel’s message as counting begins
