In many ways, Raipur is a microcosm of all the politics in Chhattisgarh's non-tribal areas. The district's seven constituencies represent almost every electoral configuration in the central plains.

In the fray are the state's three most powerful ministers, an MLA of ministerial rank, two baiters of the chief minister, the wife of a Congress leader killed in Darbha, and several rebels. Various caste and community factors too are being played out in the capital. It has a seat reserved for SCs, two veteran Sahus who are carrying their rivalry into a seventh consecutive term, powerful merchants, besides five greenhorns and a city mayor.

Electorally, Raipur is a bastion of the BJP, which holds five of the seven constituencies, as well as the Raipur Lok Sabha seat, which Ramesh Bais has won six times in the last seven elections, the last five consecutively. A look at the current stakes in the seven assembly seats, which vote November 19:

Sahu vs Sahu, 3-3

Abhanpur, 1.73 lakh voters

In the six elections since 1985, former PCC chief Dhanendra Sahu and Chandrashekhar Sahu, the current agriculture minister, have shared the seat three times each. Chandrashekhar won in 1985 and 1990, Dhanendra the next three times, before the former wrested it back in 2008.

The two powerful Sahus had begun their political careers as close friends before turning bitter rivals. When the minister was accused of abetting the suicide of a man in his neighbourhood some years ago, Dhanendra took up the matter. Chandrashekhar, in turn, got Dhanendra booked in what was allegedly a false case. Chandrashekhar has also seen protests from his own partymen, who claimed he had done little for the constituency and stormed the BJP headquarters in Raipur opposing his nomination.

Dhanendra belongs to the anti-Ajit Jogi camp. Former chief minister Jogi tried to show his strength against his party by holding a rally in Abhanpur a few months ago and declared support for rebel candidate Radha Krishna Tandon. Tandon, a nagar panchayat president, has been suspended from the Congress and is contesting for the Chhattisgarh Swabhiman Manch. A member of the Satnami SC community, the most populous group in Abhanpur after the Sahus, Tandon could dent Dhanendra's votes. Chandrashkehar won last time by just 1,400 votes, so another tough fight is likely.

... contd.

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