AAP urges Election Commission to reschedule Chhattisgarh assembly poll due to Chhath festival

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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has written a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI), requesting to reschedule the date of the second phase of the Chhattisgarh assembly polls in view of Chhath Puja festival. The AAP, in its letter to the ECI, has proposed changing the second phase of polling date from November 17 to November 25.

"We all know that people from across the nation, especially from the northern region of the country, are residing in Chhattisgarh. The Chhath Puja, which is the biggest festival of devotion in North India, falls on November 17, 18, and 19. People go back to their homes during that time. As a result, the voting participation will decrease," Chhattisgarh AAP in-charge Sanjeev Jha said while speaking to ANI.

"We wrote to the EC the very next day after the announcement of polling dates so that more and more people can participate in voting. Other parties too, including the BJP and the Congress, have also demanded a change in the polling dates," Jha added. The AAP, on Thursday, announced its third list of candidates for the Chhattisgarh Assembly Election.

Among the 11 candidates, the party has fielded Dr Akash Jashwal from the Baikunthpur Assembly, Chandrakant Diksena from Katghora Assembly, Manbhajan Tandon from Lormi, Deepak Patre from Mungeli, Durgalal Kewat (Nishad) from Jaijaipur, Lekh Ram Saahu from Kasdol, Jashwant Sinha from Gunderdehi, Sanjeet Vishwakarma from Durg Gramin, Chameli Kurrey from Pandariya, Jagmohan Baghel from Bastar, and Narendra Bhawani from Jagdalpur Assembly seat.

The elections for the 90-member Assembly of Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases. Meanwhile, the election commission has announced that the first phase of polling for 20 seats will be held on November 7, and the remaining 70 seats will go to polls on November 17.

The counting of votes will take place on December 3 in all the states. Of the five states, polling in Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases. The Model Code of Conduct has come into force with the announcement of poll dates. Earlier after the 2018 assembly polls, the Congress witnessed a landslide victory winning 68 seats out of 90 of those against the then ruling-BJP, which acquired 15 seats.

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