Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections: Political parties trying to attract tribal votes

Assembly elections are to be held in Chhattisgarh next month and considering the important role of tribal voters in forming the government, the political parties of the state have started trying to woo the tribal voters in their favor.

In Chhattisgarh, it is believed that it is difficult to form a government in the state without the blessings of the tribal community, which constitutes about 32 percent of the population. In the assembly elections held so far in the state, whichever party got the support of the tribals, came to power. BJP, which faced defeat on tribal seats in the 2018 elections, is trying to get the support of tribals in this election.

According to election experts, the recent rallies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief JP Nadda in tribal areas and the launch of the party's two Parivartan Yatras from tribal areas can be seen as an attempt by the BJP to woo the tribals.

In the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly, 29 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribe category.

In the 2018 elections, Congress had won 25 seats out of the ones reserved for the tribal class and formed the government. The party hopes that due to the government's schemes it will once again get the support of the tribals.

During the first assembly elections held in the state in 2003, 34 seats in the 90-member House were reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. BJP had won 25 of these seats by defeating the Congress government led by the then Chief Minister Ajit Jogi. BJP had then got 50 seats. Whereas Congress had won nine tribal seats.

In 2018, Congress registered a landslide victory by winning 68 seats in the 90-member assembly, ending the 15-year rule of the Raman Singh-led BJP government. BJP got 15 seats, JCC (J) and BSP got five and two seats respectively.

In 2018, out of 29 ST seats, Congress won 25, BJP won three and JCC (J) won one seat. Later, Congress won two more SC reserved seats – Dantewada and Marwahi in the by-elections.

As elections are approaching in Chhattisgarh, BJP's star campaigners have started visiting tribal dominated areas of the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah addressed party rallies in Bastar region this month. Meanwhile, party's national president JP Nadda had flagged off BJP's second Parivartan Yatra in tribal-dominated Jashpur last month. The party's first Parivartan Yatra was taken out from tribal dominated Dantewada district last month.

Sarva Adivasi Samaj, a major organization of tribal groups, has formed 'Hamar Raj' party which has announced 19 candidates. The party had earlier announced to field candidates on 50 seats, including all 29 seats reserved for the tribal community, but now it is considering contesting on 60-70 seats.