Congress releases third list of 37 candidates for Chhattisgarh

A total of 35 candidates are yet to be declared, with senior leaders saying that the process will be completed in two days. Ahead of the final day of filing nomination on November 2, the BJP so far has announced 72 candidates.

In its choices, while the CEC has changed 15 candidates of the 37 that have been announced, it has stuck with every single one of the MLAs that were elected on Congress tickets in these seats. These include heavyweights such as PCC chief Bhupesh Baghel from Patan, Leader of Opposition T S Singhdeo from Ambikapur, and senior Congress leader Arun Vora, son of Motilal Vora from Durg City. Senior leaders who lost the last election such as Ravindra Chaubey and Mohammad Akbar have been given opportunities to make a comeback.

Even among the seats that have seen changed, experienced hands have either made a comeback or swapped seats. Former Union Minister Charan Das Mahant is fighting from Sakti constituency, while senior leaders Shiv Dahariya and Rudra Guru have shifted their constituencies. Ram Kumar Yadav, who finished second from Chandrapur but from a BSP ticket, and was inducted into the Congress earlier this month has also been given a ticket.

Senior Congress leaders said that the number of experienced hands in these 37 seats was also higher given that the choice was fairly clear.