The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has recently announced its fourth list of candidates for the Chhattisgarh assembly elections.
This move comes as the party seeks to make its mark in the Congress-ruled state. With the release of this list, the AAP has now revealed the names of a total of 45 candidates for the upcoming polls.
The elections for the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will be conducted in two phases on November 7 and 17.
Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP’s Entry into Chhattisgarh Politics
The AAP made its debut in Chhattisgarh during the 2018 assembly elections, where it fielded candidates in 85 out of the total 90 seats.
However, the party was unable to secure any seats and failed to open its account in the state.
Undeterred by this setback, the AAP is now determined to establish its presence in Chhattisgarh politics and aims to attract voters with its promise of change and good governance.
The Candidates in the Fourth List:
The fourth list released by the AAP includes 12 candidates for the upcoming assembly polls. Out of these, six seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates and one seat is reserved for a Scheduled Caste (SC) candidate.
The candidates announced in this list are:
- Dev Ganesh Tekam (Samri-ST)
- Alexander (Lundra-ST)
- Munna Toppo (Sitapur-ST)
- Prakash Toppo (Jashpur-ST)
- Gopal Bapudia (Raigarh)
- Sobram Singh Saima (Pali-Tanakhar-ST)
- Parmeshwar Prasad Sandey (Janjgir-Champa)
- Neelam Dhruv (Khallari)
- Santosh Yadu (Baloda Bazar)
- Vijay Gurubaxani (Raipur North)
- Parmanand Jangde (Arang-SC)
- Bhagirathi Manjhi (Bindranawagarh-ST)
Chhattisgarh has traditionally been dominated by bipolar politics, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress as the main players.
However, in the 2018 elections, a third front emerged with the alliance between the late Ajit Jogi’s Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
This alliance managed to secure seven seats, while the Congress emerged as the clear winner with 68 seats and formed the government. The BJP was reduced to 15 seats.
AAP’s Opportunity in Chhattisgarh Politics
With the JCC(J) virtually pushed to the margins after the demise of Ajit Jogi in 2020, the AAP sees an opportunity to fill the political void in the state.
The party aims to gain the support of the electorate by focusing on its core message of providing inclusive governance and working for the welfare of the people.
It hopes that its candidates in the upcoming elections will resonate with the voters and bring about a significant change in the state’s political dynamics.
While the AAP is determined to make its presence felt in Chhattisgarh, other parties are also gearing up for the assembly polls.
The ruling Congress has already announced candidates for all 90 seats, while the opposition BJP has declared its candidates for 86 seats.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will be contesting the elections in alliance with the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP), further adding to the contesting parties in the state.
The AAP’s announcement of its fourth list of candidates for the Chhattisgarh assembly elections marks its continued efforts to establish a strong foothold in the state’s political landscape.
