BJP woos tribals with hope to win high-stakes C'garh assembly polls

As Chhattisgarh prepares for the forthcoming assembly elections next month, the state's opposition, the BJP, faces a formidable challenge in winning the support of the tribal population, which has historically wielded significant influence over electoral outcomes. In the 2018 state elections, the BJP experienced a substantial setback in tribal-dominated constituencies.

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Polling experts have noted recent rallies by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP chief JP Nadda in tribal areas, as well as the launch of the party's two Parivartan Yatras from tribal regions. These actions underscore the BJP's efforts to appeal to tribal voters as they gear up for the elections, which will be conducted in two phases on November 7 and 17.

Of the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly, 29 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, constituting approximately 32 percent of the state's population. The ruling Congress, which secured 25 of the 29 ST-reserved seats in the 2018 assembly polls, is optimistic about increasing its seat count, largely relying on its government's tribal welfare initiatives.