Elections 98

State:	Madhya Pradesh
Constituency:	Mahasamund
Total Votes Polled:	683110
Winner: BJP	Chandrashekhar Sahu (Champu)	332874
Runner Up: INC	Pawan Diwan	285142
Margin: 47732 (14%)

Elections 96

State:	Madhya Pradesh
Constituency:	Mahasamund
Total Votes Polled:	625749
Winner: INC	Pawan Diwan	250521
Runner Up: BJP	Chandra Sekhar	243581
Margin: 6940 (1.15%)

V C Shukla, from Raipur later, first contested from here in 1957, and was defeated by the official Congress candidate M Agamds. Five years later he was back as the Congress candidate, was elected, and retained his seat in 1967. He then moved on to Raipur, before returning here in 1980, the Emergency well behind him. Elected as the Congress candidate, he retained the seat till the 1989 election, and in 1991 moved on to Raipur once again. The last two times running, the Congress's colourful nominee, Pawan Diwan, has won.