Chhattisgarh polls: Amit Jogi files nomination against Bhupesh Baghel from Patan

Janata Congress Chhattisgarh-Jogi (JCC-J) chief Amit Jogi on Monday filed nomination papers against chief minister Bhupesh Baghel from Patan constituency in Durg district for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

Jogi, a former MLA and son of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, filed his papers the same day Baghel filed his nomination and claimed that a change in Patan constituency is certain.

He had floated the JCC-J in 2016 after parting ways with the Congress. His party won five seats in the 2018 assembly polls after forming an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI). The coalition won seven seats. His father had headed the Congress government in the state from 2000 to 2003. In the 2018 election, the JCC-J fought for 55 seats but this time they are fighting for all 90 constituencies.

“I filed my nomination from Patan today. This election is not against Bhupesh (Baghel) but corruption. This is an election of a powerful Dau (Baghel) ‘family’ versus the rights of the poor, SC-ST, extreme backward community of Patan. I am just a face, and the real candidates are the residents of Patan, who are victims of the scams by the Congress government,” he said.

“I had the option of winning from a safe seat in three assemblies and could have contested from two seats, but I have decided to contest from Patan alone on the request of the people of Patan. After my entry in Patan, elections will be held for the first time in Patan because till now the uncle-nephew arrangement of the same family has been taking place,” he added referring to Bhupesh Baghel and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Vijay Baghel.

Notably, Bhupesh Baghel and BJP candidate Vijay Baghel are relatives, and both fought against each other thrice – 2003, 2008 and 2013. Vijay, who had been with the Congress since 2000, won in 2008 election against Baghel and later in 2019 Lok Sabha election became a member of Parliament from Durg constituency.

Bhupesh Baghel, on the other hand, said that he will be devoted to the welfare of the people and the pride of Chhattisgarh. “I have filed nomination today …your affection is my strength. I promise that I will be devoted for the welfare of the people and pride of Chhattisgarh,” he wrote on X.

Political commentators believe that the main fight is between the BJP and tnhe Congress and the entry of Amit Jogi will not change the overall dynamics of the seat.

“The main fight is between the BJP and the Congress because the dominant voters are Sahu and Kurmi in the constituency. Both the Congress’ Bhupesh Baghel and the BJP’s Vijay Baghel are Kurmis. Since the BJP is targeting Sahus in plains, votes will be divided between the two national parties,” said Harsh Dubey, a political commentator based in Chhattisgarh.

Amit jogi or his party JCC-J has no connection from Patan and merely filing nomination from Patan will not help. I have my doubt whether the Satnami voters (Scheduled Caste), who were personally connected to Amit’s father Ajit Jogi and had voted for the JCC-J in 2018, will go with Amit in this election,” he added.

“I have filed nomination today …your affection is my strength. I promise that I will be devoted four the welfare of the people and pride of Chhattisgarh,” Baghel wrote on X after filing his nominations.

Patan is among the 70 assembly constituencies which will go to polls in the second phase of elections to the 90-member state assembly. Voting in 20 seats will be held in the first phase on November 17. The results will be declared on December 3.