Notification for first phase of Assembly poll tomorrow

Raipur, Oct 19 (UNI) The process of electioneeing is gaining momentum with the issuing of notification of filing nomination papers from tomorrow for the November 14 Assembly polls for the 39 seats in Chhattisgarh.

State Deputy Election Officer R D Diwan told UNI that the filing of nominations would take place till October 27, while scrutiny would held on October 29. October 31 would the last date for be withdrawal of names.

Elections for 39 seats in the first phase would be held in ten districts -- Mahasamund, Dhamtari, Durg, Kabirdham, Kanker, Bastar, Naryanpur, Rajnandgaon, Dantenwada and Bijapur -- which included some naxalite-affected distircts.

Elections would be held in two phases for the first time in order to ensure peaceful elections by deploying adequate number of para-milirary forces in the naxalite-dominated areas.

Preparations for filing of nomination paper was completed and all necessary order regarding it had already been issued.

Meanwhile, although process of selecting candidates has been underway since long, both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress were yet to come up with list of candidates one day before filing nominations.

Prominent candidates likely to contest the November 14 elections include Chief Minister Raman Singh from Dongargaon, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ajay Chandrakar from Kurud, Water Resources Minister Hemchandra Yadav from Durg, Woman and Child Development Minister Lata Usendi from Kondagaon, Public Health Engineering Kedar Kashyap from Bhanpuri and Assembly Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey from Bhillai assembly constituencies.

Besides, the leader of oppostion in the state assembly Mahendra Karma from Dantewada, Parliamentary Secretaries Tribikram Bhoi from Basna, Poonam Chandrakar from Mahasamund, Devalal Dugga from Bhanupratappur and Ramshila Sahu form Gnderdehi were likely to contest in the first phase of polling.

UNI AS-BDG PS 1529