Chhattisgarh polls: Keen contest on between BJP, Congress

BJP and Opposition Congress are locked in a keen contest in Chhattisgarh with the ruling party leading in 44 of the 86 Assembly seats trends from where are available so far.

Congress, which is seeking to wrest power after a decade, is ahead in 40 places, while others are leading in two seats.

Chief Minister Raman Singh is leading over his nearest Congress rival Alka Mudliar by about 3400 votes from Rajnandgaon. Alka is the wife of Congress leader Uday Mudliar who was killed in the Darbha Naxal attack in May along with several top state party leaders.

Ministers in the Raman Singh government-- Brijmohan Agrawal and Chandrashekhar Sahu--are ahead of their Congress rivals in Raipur city south and Abhanpur respectively.

Housing and Environment Minister Rajesh Munat is leading in Raipur city west and Forest Minister Vikram Usendi in Bastar.