The first phase of assembly polls will see voting in 18 seats spread over eight Naxal-affected districts in the state.
While Chhattisgarh has traditionally seen a straight fight between the BJP and the Congress, this time a third front comprising Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), Mayawati's BSP and the CPI is also in the fray.
On the last day of campaigning in the poll-bound state of Chhattisgarh, the Congress scion alleged that industrialist Anil Ambani's only qualification to bag the contract was his friendship with the 'chowkidar' PM.
Lashing out at the Congress scion, CM Raman Singh said that Gandhi does not know anything about Chhattisgarh and his rallies would not help the Congress draw any significant votes.
Yogi Adityanath alleged that Chhattisgarh remained “poor, backward and a BIMARU state” remained a BIMARU state” during the Congress rule despite having extensive mineral deposits and forest wealth.
After releasing the manifesto, the BJP chief launched a scathing attack on Congress and said that a party that sees revolution in Naxalism can do no good for Chhattisgarh.
While PM addressed rally in Naxal-hit Bastar district's headquarters Jagdalpur, Rahul Gandhi held campaign rallies in Pakhanjore town of Kanker district followed by Rajnandgaon district's Khairgarh and Dongargarh towns
The naxals had dug spike holes containing arrows made of iron rod to cause harm to election staff and CRPF personnel.
Days before the first-phase of voting in Chhattisgarh on November 12, Gandhi also accused Modi and Singh of making "false" and "unfulfilled" promises.
The 47-year-old Congress chief told the gathering he did not want to make "false" promises like the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had allegedly made.
Addressing his first election rally in Jagalpur, the headquarters of the Naxal, hit Bastar, PM Modi accused the party of supporting urban Maoists who were killing innocent people including jawans.
Chhattisgarh Assembly Polls: According to political pundits, the party of the favourite CM candidate is likely to win the polls. This fact becomes even more crucial for Congress as it has failed to field a CM candidate even few days before the polls.
Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018: Within next 48 hours, the Congress chief will also hold rallies in Khairgarh (Rajnandgaon) and Dongargarh (Rajnandgaon) towns, Charama (Kanker district) and Kondagaon.
Slamming the Maoists, PM Modi said that they were handing over guns, in place of pens, to the children of the state.
PM Modi will address a rally in Bastar district's headquarters, Jagdalpur, while Gandhi will tour the state for two days during which he will address five rallies and hold a road show in Chief Minister Raman Singh's constituency, Rajnandgaon.
The PM's schedule includes a rally in Chhattisgarh's Bastar, which is a Naxal-violence hit area and is going to polls in the first phase of elections on November 12.
"According to villagers, he was brutally beaten to death with sticks by the ultras," the SP said, adding that a police team has been sent to the spot.
In the two-phase elections, voting for 18 seats spread across eight Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts, will be held on November 12 and for the other 72 seats on November 20. The counting of votes will be held on December 11.
Like Madhya Pradesh, the BJP is ruling Chhattisgarh for last 15 years. Chief Minister Raman Singh is heading the state since 7 December 2003.
'Chunav Chowk' brings you news from Bilaspur, ahead of Chhattisgarh Assembly Poll 2018.
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