Tapkara (Chhattisgarh), Nov 27: After the BJP dispatched the party bigwig and opposition leader Nandkumar Sai to Marvahi to take on Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, the Congress is leaving no stone unturned to wrest this saffron party stronghold in the maiden elections to Chhattisgarh Assembly pitting Sai's brother as its nominee. When Sai was fielded against Jogi, the Congress immediately swung into action and gave the ticket to Mohan Sai, the brother of Nandkumar Sai, who recently switched loyalties to the Congress.

BJP's candidate is Bharat Sai and to make the contest triangular, NCP nominee is Meghnath Sai.

This assembly constituency in the Jashpur district of the newly carved out Chhattisgarh state, has been predominantly a BJP bastion with the party retaining the assembly seat for last four consecutive occasions and has only lost once in 1980 to Congress since 1967 elections. In an effort to test the electoral waters and create division of votes, BSP has also plunged into the fray and its nominee Theodore Ekka can stake claims on Christian votes of this assembly segment.

Bureau Report