Mayawati to hold election rally in C'garh on Saturday

Raipur: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) which has forged an alliance with the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) for the next month’s Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, will launch its election campaign on October 13.

BSP chief and former Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati will address a mega rally in Bilaspur town on Saturday, BSP’s Chhattisgarh unit president O P Bajpayee said Thursday.

JCCJ chief Ajit Jogi will also be present during the rally, he added. As per the poll alliance agreement, the BSP will contest 35 seats, while the JCCJ will fight 55 seats for the 90-member Assembly.

Ajit Jogi has been made the chief ministerial candidate of the coalition. “After her (Mayawati’s) visit, names of the candidates, who will contest the 35 seats as per the poll alliance with JCCJ, will be finalised,” Bajpayee said.

As per the poll schedule, 18 naxal-affected constituencies in the state will go to polls in the first phase on November 12, while polling for the rest of the 72 constituencies will be held on November 20. The counting of votes will be held on December 11.