"BJP on firm footing in Chhattisgarh": NDA ally Ramdas Athawale

Raipur (Chhatisgarh) [India], October 27 (ANI): Affirming that the BJP would wrest power from the Congress in Chhattisgarh in the upcoming Assembly elections, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday said the general mood and pulse of the public was in favour of the saffron party as compared to the last legislative polls.
Speaking to ANI on a visit to the poll-bound state on Thursday, Athawale said, "The BJP is on a strong footing in the state. BJP leader Raman Singh served as the state's chief minister for three terms but lost in the last assembly elections. However, the winds of change are sweeping the state and I believe that the BJP stands a strong chance of wresting power here."
Meanwhile, the BJP on Wednesday released its fourth and final list of candidates for the upcoming Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, fielding party leader Rajesh Agarwal from Ambikapur constituency against Deputy Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, TS Singh Deo.
The BJP has now declared all 90 candidates in the state. The party's first list of 21 candidates included Lok Sabha MP Vijay Baghel, who has been fielded against Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in Patan in Durg district.
The second list had 64 candidates and the third list had a single name. The Congress has, meanwhile, declared the names of all its 90 candidates.
Last week, the BJP released a list of 40 star campaigners for the first phase of the state polls.
The first phase of polling for 20 seats in Chhattisgarh will be held on November 7 and the remaining 70 seats in the state will go to polls on November 17.
The Model Code of Conduct came into force with the announcement of poll dates.
In the last assembly polls in 2018, the Congress recorded a landslide mandate, winning 68 seats of the 90 seats while the BJP finished a distant second at just 15 seats. (ANI)