It comes as no surprise that the upcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have seen mammoth numbers of nominations.
With a total of 3,832 candidates filing their nominations for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly, and 1,219 candidates filing nominations for the 70 constituencies of Chhattisgarh, these elections promise to be highly contested and closely watched.
Madhya Pradesh Assembly Polls: A Fierce Battle for Power
In Madhya Pradesh, the process of filing nominations began on October 21 and ended on Monday. In the span of these few days, a staggering 4,359 nominations were received, filed by 3,832 candidates.
On the last day alone, 2,489 candidates filed 2,811 nomination forms, highlighting the intense competition for political power.
The scrutiny of forms will be conducted on Tuesday, followed by the withdrawal of nominations till November 2.
The polling for the 230 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh is scheduled for November 17, with the votes set to be counted on December 3.
Chhattisgarh Assembly Polls: A Battle of Prominent Candidates
In Chhattisgarh, the second phase of assembly elections will witness 1,219 candidates vying for 70 constituencies.
The deadline for filing nominations for this phase ended on Monday. The scrutiny of the 1,985 nomination papers will take place on Tuesday, with candidates having the option to withdraw their nominations by November 2.
The second phase of polls in Chhattisgarh boasts prominent candidates from both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Deputy CM TS Singh Deo, and other key figures from the Congress will be contesting in this phase.
The BJP has fielded leaders such as Arun Sao, Narayan Chandel, and Brijmohan Agarwal.
One of the most closely watched contests will be in the Patan seat, where CM Bhupesh Baghel of the Congress will face his nephew and BJP candidate Vijay Baghel.
The entry of Amit Jogi, the state president of Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) and son of former CM Ajit Jogi, has added an intriguing dimension to the race.
