Raipur Lok Sabha constituency

Raipur is one of 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh and will cast vote in the third phase of the election this year - on April 23.

Raipur Lok Sabha constituency comprises of nine assembly segments - Baloda Bazar, Bhatapara, Dharsiwa, Raipur Rural, Raipur City West, Raipur City North, Raipur City South, Arang (SC) and Abhanpur.

BJP's Ramesh Bais has been leading the party from this constituency for the last several years. He has never lost a Lok Sabha election from here since 1996. In 2014 Lok Sabha election, Bais defeated Congress' Satya Narayan Sharma by 1.71 lakh votes with a voter turnout of 65.68 per cent.

In the recent past, Bais made the news for the wrong reasons after he allegedly said that rape of a grown-up is understandable but not of minors. He was widely slammed for this alleged remark.

Bais, however, had dominated in the 2009 Lok Sabha election as well when he defeated the current state CM Bhupesh Baghel of Congress by 57,000 votes.

There are over 19 lakh electors here - making it one of the biggest constituencies in the state of Chhattisgarh.