At 11am, the Congress was leading in 57 seats in the 90-member assembly

At 11am, the Congress was leading in 57 seats in the 90-member assembly

At 11am, the Congress was leading in 57 seats in the 90-member assembly

In about two and a half hours from when counting in the assembly elections began on Tuesday, it became clear as day that Congress will wrest power from the BJP in Chhattisgarh, a state the grand old party considers it's own, despite the BJP and Dr Raman Singh being in power for the last 15 years.

While the state is just 18 years old, the Congress sent legislators in large numbers from this region to Madhya Pradesh, before it was bifurcated in 2000.

By 11 am, the Congress was leading in 57 seats in the 90-member assembly, nearly 20 seats more than its 2013 tally of 39 seats. The BJP was leading in 26 seats, close to half the 49 seats it won in 2013.

Worryingly for the BJP, Chief Minister Raman Singh, who has ruled for 15 years, has continued to trail in Rajnangaon against Karuna Shukla. Shukla, the niece of late prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, is contesting on a Congress ticket.

Ajit Jogi, who broke away from the Congress in 2016 to form his JCC(J), is trailing in Marwahi. Jogi's party, which is in alliance with the BSP, is leading in four seats. Jogi's wife, Renu Jogi, is leading in Kota, which she had won three times before on Congress tickets.

Congress leaders Bhupesh Baghel and T.S. Singh Deo are leading from Patan and Ambikapur, respectively.

Raman Singh' s house wore a deserted look, with security guards at the gate saying he was not at home. His development works and low-key profile notwithstanding, a voter fatigue with the BJP and the steady organisational work by state Congress leaders Bhupesh Baghel and P.L. Punia appear to have stopped the chief minister winning the office for the fourth term.

The Ajit Jogi-Mayawati alliance are not likely to hold any levers of influence given the clear trend in favour of the Congress.

Even as the Congress office at Rajiv Bhawan in Raipur is alive and abuzz with joy and enthusiasm, Baghel, the man of the moment, was not in. Party sources said he would be seen only when results are formally announced.

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