BJP's Raman Singh seeks postponement of 2nd phase of Chhattisgarh polls on account of Chhath festival

Raipur: BJP vice president and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh on Wednesday urged the Election Commission of India to postpone the second phase of Chhattisgarh assembly polls scheduled on November 17 in view of the Chhath festival.

He said a large number of voters will not be able to take part in the electoral process due to the festival.

Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly are scheduled in two phases on November 7 and 17.

The Chhath festival will be celebrated from November 17 to 20 this year.

Singh in a post on X said the second phase of Chhattisgarh assembly election is coinciding with Chhath puja festival due to which a large number of people will not be able to take part in the electoral process.

“I request @ECISVEEP to please postpone the second phase of voting, so that more and more voters can take part in the electoral process and exercise their franchise,” he added.

छत्तीसगढ़ विधानसभा चुनाव के दूसरे चरण (17 नवंबर) के निकट छठ पूजा का पर्व आने से बड़ी संख्या में मतदाता इस निर्वाचन प्रक्रिया का हिस्सा नहीं बन पायेंगे।

मैं @ECISVEEP से आग्रह करता हूँ कि दूसरे चरण के मतदान को आगे बढ़ाने की कृपा करें, जिससे अधिक से अधिक संख्या में मतदाता इस चुनाव…

— Dr Raman Singh (@drramansingh) October 18, 2023

Earlier, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had made a similar demand in the state.

A large number of people from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh who live in Raipur, Bilaspur, Bhilai, Jagdalpur, Korba and other cities of Chhattisgarh celebrate the Chhath festival in a grand way every year.

The BJP has fielded incumbent MLA Raman Singh from his traditional seat Rajnandgaon, which will go to polls in the first phase along with 19 other constituencies.

Voting in the other 70 seats will be held in the second phase.