Face-off over direct benefits in Chhattisgarh, with corruption and communalism thrown into the mix

Amit Shah highlighted the accusations of appeasement and corruption against the State government, while Rahul Gandhi highlighted his party’s election promises

In the last stretch of campaigning before the second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly election, Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted the accusations of appeasement and corruption against the State government, while former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi highlighted his party’s election promises, comparing them to the BJP’s.

Both leaders held public meetings in a final bid to hammer their messages home, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the campaign on social media, predicting a crushing defeat for the incumbent Congress in a long post on X (formerly Twitter).

Mr. Gandhi squeezed in two rallies, at Bemetara and Baloda Bazar, highlighting his party’s pledge to conduct a caste census. He outlined the contrast between  “Congress ki guarantees” for the welfare of the poor, versus “Modi ki guarantees”, which he claimed were only for industralist Gautam Adani, alleging that the PM had handed over all of the country’s important assets to him. “Modi’s guarantees are for Adani only and whatever he does, he does it for people like Adani,” Mr. Gandhi said. 

In the tribal dominant state, the Congress campaign largely centred on other backward class (OBC) politics. In his rally speech, Mr. Gandhi’s spent the majority of his time explaining the need for a country-wide caste-census and reiterated that one of the first steps that Congress government would take if it returned to power was to hold a caste survey in Chhattisgarh. “It will be an historic decision, a revolutionary step... it will change the face of the country,” he said. 

Referring to the party’s promise of a farm loan waiver, Mr. Gandhi also dropped what is being interpreted as a subtle hint that the Congress leadership will repose its faith in Mr. Baghel again in the event of another victory. 

“Baghel ji, you may recall that I had said, the first decision, the first signature of the Chief Minister would be on the loan waiver file. And you signed on that file and lakhs of farmers were benefitted, Chhattisgarh was benefitted. I am saying this again from the stage, that you will have to sign again, you will have to waive the loans again,” said Mr. Gandhi.  

The party witnessed a tussle for power after winning the 2018 elections and during the government’s tenure, and has focussed on collective leadership during the campaign. Mr. Baghel, himself, has been tightlipped about his future prospects but often uses his signature phrase “Kaka zinda hai (Uncle is alive)“ in his campaign speeches. Kaka or uncle is a moniker commonly used for Mr. Baghel.