Raipur, Nov 12: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, assembly speaker Rajendra Prasad Shukla and BJP state secretary Chandrashekhar Sahu were among the 147 candidates who filed their nominations for the December 01 assembly elections taking to 288 the total number of nominees who have filed their papers since Friday last. The highest number of 27 nominees including Jogi filed their papers from Bilaspur followed by 26 candidates from Durg, reports received from the districts said.

Nineteen candidates from Raigarh filed their nominations from Raigarh followed by Sarguja (13), Janjgir-Champa (11), Rajnandgaon (9), Mahasamund (8), Bastar (8), Jashpur (3), Dhamtari (7), Kawardha (5) Korea and kanker (four each), Jashpur and Korba (three each).

Jogi filed his papers at the collectorate for Marwahi tribal reserved seat which he won last time as a debutant through a by-election after becoming chief minister on November 01, 2000. Speaker Shukla filed his nomination from Kota seat of Bilaspur. In neighbouring Raigarh district, Health Minister K K Gupta and Food and Civil Supply Minister Chanesh Ram Rathia filed their papers from Raigarh and Dharamjaigarh seats respectively.

Sahu reached the collectorate in a procession of bullock carts and filed his papers for Abhanpur seat.

Youth Congress president Devbrat Singh filed his papers from Kheragarh seat and child and women welfare minister Geeta Devi Singh from Dongargaon seat.

Bureau Report