In the lead-up to the assembly election, political activity has surged in Bemetara constituency, known for its agricultural landscape with paddy, soybean, and gram cultivation. Dominated by OBC voters, particularly the Sahu and Kurmi communities, who are primarily farmers, Bemetara holds the potential to sway the forthcoming election based on the ruling party's farmer-centric policies. Nevertheless, Bemetara voters maintain an impartial approach, carefully weighing candidates and party agendas before exercising their voting rights. The people's sentiment towards the government plays a pivotal role in shaping the election trends.

 

Over the past three assembly polls, Bemetara voters have displayed a pattern of alternating between electing BJP and Congress candidates, disregarding caste and community affiliations. The State government's welfare schemes and the comprehensive transformation of Bemetara have greatly benefited the residents. However, concerns have emerged regarding the poor quality of road construction, which the opposition intends to capitalise on in the upcoming election.

Illegal mining, the proliferation of illicit liquor businesses, and an increase in the crime rate have further added to the grievances of the locals, who feel let down by the administration's failure to address these issues. The communal tensions in the neighboring Biranpur area have had a ripple effect on both Bemetara and Saja constituencies. In their pursuit of communal harmony, the people of Bemetara expect their representatives to prioritize this crucial aspect.

Ashish Chhabra, the incumbent MLA from the ruling party, has successfully established a strong rapport with the people and has consistently met their expectations, rendering him a popular figure with followers from across party lines. The possibility of Yogesh Tiwari, who previously contested on the Jogi Congress ticket, joining the BJP during Amit Shah's visit to Chhattisgarh, remains in the air. However, it remains to be seen how influential Tiwari's endorsement would be in swaying Bemetara voters in favor of the BJP.

 

Despite his unsuccessful bid against Brijmohan Agrawal in Raipur while he was a Congress candidate, Tiwari has

emerged as a prominent leader among farmers. Reports suggest that Bemetara BJP leaders have struggled to identify and prioritize key issues, indicating a leadership vacuum within the party. This could prove to be a significant obstacle for the BJP in their battle against the Congress. The Congress party is likely to field Ashish Chhabra, the current MLA, as their candidate, as the Chief Minister has stated that those performing will be given ticket and the local leaders close to Chhabra has expressed satisfaction with his performance in the constituency. Other potential contenders for the party ticket include Pravin Verma, son of former MLA Dr. Chetan Verma, Lokesh Verma, and Kavita Sahu. In the BJP camp, several aspirants are vying for the party ticket, including Awdhesh Singh Chandel (former MLA from 2013), Rahul Tikariya, Harshwardhan Tiwari (son of former MLA Mahesh Tiwari), Dr. L R Sahu (associated with RSS), and Vijay Sinha. Awdhesh Chandel's lack of connection with the people and minimal presence in the constituency led to his defeat in the 2018 election against Congress rival Ashish Chhabra. In 2018 INC Ashish Kumar Chhabra polled 74,914 votes against his rivals BJP’s Awadhesh Singh Chandel who polled 49,783 votes and JCCJ’s Yogesh Tiwari. In 2013, BJP’s Awadhesh Singh Chandel polled 74,162 votes against INC’s Tamradhwaj Sahu who could poll only 59,048 votes. The voters here are choosy and calculative so it could be anybody’s game in 2023.