Raipur,  In a surprising turn of events, NOTA (None of the Above) emerged as the third most-voted option in the Raipur South Assembly by-election, securing 1,147 votes. It outperformed all 28 independent candidates, reinforcing its position as a barometer of voter dissatisfaction.

 

The by-poll was dominated by BJP candidate Sunil Soni, who emerged victorious with 89,220 votes, defeating Congress candidate Akash Sharma by a significant margin of 46,167 votes. Akash Sharma received 43,053 votes, placing second. Despite these results, NOTA’s consistent vote share across all rounds became a focal point of the election. NOTA demonstrated a strong presence from the start, receiving 60 votes in the first round, followed by 57 and 55 in the second and third rounds, respectively.

 

Although it briefly lagged in the 4th round with only 35 votes against independent candidate Ankush Bariyekar’s 95, NOTA rebounded swiftly. It recorded consistent tallies in subsequent rounds, peaking at 90 votes in the 16th round and maintaining a significant lead over all independents. Bariyekar, representing Sarv Aadi Dal, secured 681 votes in total, falling far short of challenging NOTA. Other independents struggled even further, failing to cross the 500-vote mark. NOTA ultimately led in 17 out of the 19 counting rounds, tying with Bariyekar in the final round with 36 votes each. “This result highlights the electorate’s rising expectations and a visible frustration with conventional politics. NOTA’s significant vote share underscores the need for political parties to engage more meaningfully and prioritise candidate quality to address this dissatisfaction,” said political analysts with in-depth knowledge of NOTA trends in Chhattisgarh elections.