Congress leads in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and MP; TRS races ahead in Telangana, MNF in Mizoram

Raipur, Dec 11 The Congress seemed all set to break BJP leader Raman Singh's dream of a consecutive fourth term as Chhattisgarh chief minister, according to early patterns for the state Assembly elections.

Congress was leading in 58 seats, while the ruling BJP was a distant second at 17.

Trends for 82 of the 90 seats where surveying was held in two stages, are accessible up until this point, a poll official said.

Congress, which has 39 legislators in the active House BJP has 10 more - seemed to have become a model of togetherness in the tribal-dominated state.

The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) of previous chief minister Ajit Jogi was ahead in five seats while the CPI and the Gondwana Gantantra Party and the CPI (M) were driving in one seat each, the authority said.

Five ministers in the BJP government - Brijmohan Agrawal (Raipur City South), Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur body electorate), Mahesh Gagda (Bijapur), Dayaldas Baghel (Nawagarh) and Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur) - were trailing.

In any case, state presidents of the BJP and the Congress - Dharamlal Kaushik and Bhupesh Baghel - were driving in Bilha and Patan seats respectively.

Leader of Opposition T S Singhdeo and Congress MP from Durg Lok Sabha situate Tamradhwaj Sau were driving in Ambikapur and Durg Rural seats, individually.

Ajit Jogi was driving in Marwahi situate while his significant other Renu Jogi was ahead in Kota body electorate, the authority said.

Counting for the 90 seats began at 8 am. The checking of postal polls was first taken up pursued by tallying of votes from the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The state had recorded 76.60 percent voter turnout.

The Congress is aiming to stage a comeback after being in the opposition for 15 years.

Following is the party-wise position in the outgoing Assembly: BJP-49, Congress-39, BSP-one and Independent-one.