Lok Sabha polls 2014: Korba; BJP banks on development to lay siege on Congress bastion

RAIPUR: A keen battle is on the cards at Chhattisgarh's Korba Lok Sabha seat, a Congress bastion in which the party is again confident of making a clean sweep even as the rival BJP rides on development and anti-incumbency factors to be the recipe for its victory.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Charandas Mahant (60) is in direct contest with veteran BJP leader Banshilal Mahto (74) in Korba Lok Sabha seat (general), that came into existence in 2008 and contested its first Lok Sabha elections immediately the year after.

The constituency will go to poll on April 24 along with six other parliamentary constituencies of the tribal-dominated state.

Congress had won only this seat in 2009 parliamentary polls, while the rest 10 seats of the state were captured by the ruling BJP.

Korba constituency is spread over more than one district in the state's northern region. Koriya district's Bharatpur-Sonhat, Manendragarh and Baikunthpur Assembly segments and Korba district's Rampur, Korba, Katghora and Pali-Tanakhar segments fall within this constituency.

"We are getting enormous response from the people of the region. Development works and welfare schemes of our BJP government in the state will bring victory not only in this seat but also in 10 other constituencies of Chhattisgarh," Mahto told PTI.

"Nobody can stop us from forming government at the Centre," said Mahto, who is associated with the saffron fold since Jan Sangh period.

A native of Saliyabhata village of Korba district, Mato holds a BAMS (integrated course) degree and had been BJP district president from Korba.

He had contested Lok Sabha election in 1999 from Janjgir-Champa seat against Charandas Mahant and faced defeat.