Freebies on offer
In Chhattisgarh, it will be a tossup between freebies. The freebies being disbursed by Raman Singh-led BJP government through public distribution system (PDS) and the freebies promised by the Congress in its manifesto released earlier this week. And for now, the saffron outfit has an upper hand as people seem to prefer actual delivery to what has been pledged on a piece of paper.

“I am not very sure whether Congress will implement its promise of disbursing free rice and wheat. What is the guarantee?” asks Nirmal Patel, a B A first year student and first time voter in Bajrang Chowk, a labour colony on the outskirts of Dalli rajhara, a town known to be a treasure trove of raw steel.

Patel’s half a dozen friends flanking him on either side endorse him. So does Sagar Bai, a housewife in the same settlement. Bai is happy she is getting rice for Rs 2 per kg under kamal chhap (rule of lotus). In last one week I have spoken to at least a few hundred people in Dalli rajhara, Dondi and surrounding villages and the overriding sentiment is that a bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

The BJP government disburses 25 kg rice, 10 kg wheat at Rs 2 per kg, 2 kg gram at Rs 5 per kg, over a kg of sugar at around Rs 14 per kg every month to families living below poverty line (BPL) in the state. Families entitled to subsidized grains under Antodaya Annashri Yojana get the grains at Rs 1 per kg. The Congress has promised to disburse 35 kg of grains at no cost to all people carrying BPL ration cards. The party has also pledged not to charge anything for consumption of power on load up to five horse power.

Battle of contrasting styles
The Congress and the BJP are approaching state elections in contrasting styles. While the former is keeping its campaign low-key and persuasive, the latter has launched an all-out, overtly aggressive blitzkrieg hitting the Congress where it may hurt the most.

The Congress is relying on tried and tested slogans like ‘jaat par naa paat par, muhar lagegi haath par (let this be a vote for hand and not caste and creed) and blaring around ‘aa gaye aa gaye, punja chhap aa gaye, chha gaye chha gaye, punja chhap chha gaye’ and “gali-2 mein shor hai, punja chhap ka shor hai’ in Omni vans. Union ministers Selja and Charan Dass Mahant and other state Congress leaders addressed a thinly-attended meeting in Dalli rajhara earlier this week.

The BJP has resorted to high-voltage promotion of its chief minister Raman Singh playing parodies based on popular Hindi film songs and couplets to underline the development persona of the CM. “Gaon garib kisan ho, chahe ho majdoor, yuva vradh mahila ho, sabke liye yojana bharpur’ is an example of this. The party is loud in raising questions about the ghotalas (scams) allegedly unearthed under the Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government. While the Congress is still strategizing on its election campaign, the BJP has gone ahead and painted several towns in saffron. The BJP candidates are ahead of their Congress counterparts in taking out processions, rallies and marches.