Chh'garh polls: Cong-BJP clash ahead of polls; CM's fate to be decided

Raipur, Nov 11:

and

workers clashed in Jagdalpur, ahead of the first phase of the assembly polls in

on Monday. Congress leader Shamu Kashyap was injured during the clash. Meanwhile, a Maoist attack took place in Kanker and encounter between the security personnel and the militants was reportedly continuing till the latest reports came in. Security had been tightened before the polls.

[See: Chhattisgarh assembly elections 2013]

Eighteen constituencies across eight districts in Chhattisgarh are going to the crucial assembly polls. The fate of Chief Minister Raman Singh and three other ministers of the BJP-ruled state will be decided in Monday's polling.

Singh, who is looking for his third consecutive term as the chief minister, is contesting from Rajnandgaon against Alka Mudliyar, wife of slain Congress leader Uday Mudliyar.

The other three high-profile contests are between:

Tribal welfare Minister Kedar Kashyap against Chandan Kashyap, a low-profile Congress candidate, from Narayanpur. The former had defeated Congress's Rajnuram Netam by over 21,000 votes in 2008.

Raman Singh is contesting against the wife of a slain Congress leader

Sports Minister Lata Usendi against Mohan Markam from Kondgaon constituency. Usendi had defeated Markam in 2008 by just over 2,700 seats.

Forest Minister Vikram Usendi against former Congress MLA Manturam Pawar from Antagarh seat. He had defeated Pawar from this seat in 2008 by a mere 109 votes.

Kawasi Lakhma, the only sitting MLA of the Congress in Bastar, has been renominated from Konta constituency this time.

OneIndia news