As the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections was on the BJP’s chances of securing an absolute majority on its own seem to be diminishing, raising speculation about the formation of a coalition government at the Center.

In the wake of these developments, the BJP in Chhattisgarh fondly recalled former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The party posted Vajpayee’s famous poem on its social media handle ‘X’ on Monday: “Kya haar mein, kya jeet mein, kinchit nahi bhaybheet main, kartavya path par jo bhi mila yeh bhi sahi wo bhi sahi, vardaan nahi maangoonga, ho kuch par haar nahi maanoonga…”

Political observers interpret this as a signal of the potential return of the coalition era.

Despite the broader political uncertainties, the BJP has strengthened its position in Chhattisgarh, winning 10 out of the 11 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stated, “We are winning 10 seats in Chhattisgarh, and the fight is still ongoing for one. We thank the citizens for their support and our workers and leaders for their hard work and dedication in such challenging weather conditions.”

As the trends of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are turning into results, Chhattisgarh’s first outcome has come from Sarguja, where BJP candidate Chintamani Maharaj has won by over 64,000 votes, although the official announcement is still pending. Additionally, the BJP is leading in nine other seats, while Congress’s Jyotsna Mahant is ahead in Korba.

In Rajnandgaon, Congress candidate and former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel is trailing. According to the latest figures, BJP’s Brijmohan Agrawal from Raipur, Vijay Baghel from Durg, Santosh Pandey from Rajnandgaon, Mahesh Kashyap from Bastar, and Radheshyam Rathia from Raigarh are expected to secure victories with a healthy margin.

This election cycle in Chhattisgarh features a diverse array of candidates, including three incumbent Members of Parliament, one former MP, one Cabinet Minister, a former chief minister, and three former Cabinet ministers, alongside numerous present and former MLAs. In total, 220 candidates are participating in the electoral process. To manage the vote counting, the election commission has established 94 counting venues, deploying 6,562 officers and staff to ensure a smooth process.

The Election Commission has made extensive preparations to facilitate the counting process, implementing a tri-layered security arrangement at each venue. The outermost security layer is handled by the district police, with central forces securing the remaining layers.