Chhattisgarh: Bhupesh Baghel fails to win but betters Congress performance in Rajnandgaon

Raipur, June 4 (PTI) Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel lost his poll battle against sitting BJP MP Santosh Pandey in Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat in Chhattisgarh, but managed to reduce the saffron party's victory margin to 44,411 votes.

Baghel, a former chief minister, polled 6,67,646 votes, while Pandey secured 7,12,057 votes.

In the 2019 general elections, Pandey had secured 6,62,387 votes and defeated Congress' Bholaram Sahu by 1,11,966 votes.

Baghel bagged 46.18 percent of total votes polled in the seat, more than the votes secured by Sahu (5,50,421 or 42.09 per cent) in 2019.

This time, Pandey got 49.25 percent of total votes polled, less than 50.65 percent he had secured in 2019.

Baghel had earlier lost Lok Sabha polls in 2004 and 2009 from Durg and Raipur seats respectively. PTI TKP KRK