Congress fighting on issues of development: Kawasi Lakhma

SUKMA (Chhattisgarh): Chhattisgarh Commerce, Industries and Excise Minister and Congress candidate from Konta Assembly Constituency, Kawasi Lakhma cast his vote for the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections 2023 today saying that the party is fighting on the issue of development, security and peace.

"We are fighting on the issue of development, security and peace. Several development works have been done here in the last 5 years. I won by a margin of 6,700 votes and this year, I will win by a bigger margin," Kawasi Lakhma said after casting his vote on Tuesday.

State Minister Kawasi Lakhma, is running again from Konta, where he the sitting MLA. He cast his vote at polling booth number 36 in the Konta Assembly constituency. One of the survivors of the Naxal attack on Congress leadesr in 2013 in Darbha, Kawai Lakhma is a 5 time MLA from Konta. The BJP has fielded first timer Soyam Muka from Konta in the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls.

The tribal-dominated seat has been a Congress stronghold. Meanwhile as the elections got underway, the voters were seen standing outside a polling booth in Sukma, a part of the Konta Assembly Constituency to cast their votes for the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections 2023.

The voting proceass began for 10 seats at 7 am and for the remaining 10 seats, it began at 8 am amid tight security.

In Kondagaon, a first-time voter, Anisha said that she expected all our issues to be resolved in the state. "We expect all our issues to be resolved...Many a time candidates say that they will resolve the issues but leave (after elections) to not be seen anywhere," she told ANI while standing in a queue at the Kondagaon polling booth on Tuesday.

The state of Chhattisgarh is undergoing elections in two phases, with the second phase scheduled for November 17. There are a total of 223 candidates in the fray for 20 seats. 5304 voting booths have been set up by the election commission for this phase. There are 40 lakh, 78 thousand, and 681 voters in this phase.

Of these, there are 19 lakh, 93 thousand, 937 male voters and 20 lakh, 84 thousand, 675 female voters. In this phase 13 of the 20 seats are reserved for SC/STs. Overall, in the state, 29 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and 10 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs). In 2018, the Congress won 17 of the 20 seats that will go to the polls in Phase 1.

BJP had won two seats, while Ajit Jogi's party had won one. The counting of votes is scheduled for December 3.