Former MLA Ram Dayal Uikey, the BJP nominee from Pali-Tanakhar seat in Korba district, was present in the vehicle when the cash was seized from there, the police official said.
The ruling Congress, voted to office in 2018 after 15 years in opposition, and the Bharatiya Janata Party are the main contenders for power in the state, where the Aam Aadmi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and some regional outfits are also in the fray.
Polling in 70 constituencies began at 8 am and will conclude at 5 pm, except in nine polling booths in the Maoist-affected Bindranawagarh seat in Gariaband district, where voting began at 7 for security reasons, a poll official said.
Leaders across the political spectrum on Friday condoled the demise of Chhattisgarh's first chief minister Ajit Jogi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing the IAS officer-turned-politician for striving to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor.
The arrest was made following a police complaint lodged against him by Sameera Paikra, the BJP candidate from Marwahi constituency in the 2013 state assembly polls.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress remain the most dominant political forces in Chhattisgarh, though the state has several regional outfits that have pockets of influence, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is making a determined bid to challenge its well entrenched rivals and make a mark in polls to the 90-member House.
The BJP tops the list with 43 (80 percent) of 54 MLAs each having declared assets valued at more than Rs 1 crore.
The Congress leader, who resigned as the chief minister Sunday night, emerged victorious in the Patan assembly seat, defeating BJP candidate Vijay Baghel by 19,723 votes in the state assembly elections held last month.
An audio clip of Chhattisgarh CM's son-in-law, Congress' Ajit Jogi and his son Amit, points at their involvement in "fixing" the by poll to an assembly seat last year.
In both of these Hindi heartland states, the straight contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress.
Vijay Baghel and Jogi accuse the chief minister of prompting liquor vends across the state.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has pinned its hopes on the old guard to ensure victory in next month's assembly elections in Chhattisgarh as it gave tickets to 11 sitting MLAs and renominated 13 leaders who lost in the 2018 polls.
The Bharatiya Janata Party alleges that outgoing chief minister Ajit Jogi offer its legislators money to defect.
Vishnu Deo Sai, a prominent tribal face of the Bharatiya Janata Party, will be the next chief minister of Chhattisgarh where the saffron party returned to power after a gap of five years following the recently-concluded assembly polls.
The BSP will contest 35 seats and the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh 55 in the 90-member assembly.
Counting of votes will be held on Sunday in assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana in what is seen as a semi-final contest ahead of the general elections in less than six months.
The Congress said the alliance between the BSP and Jogi's Janta Congress Chhattisgarh has the support of the BJP, which is ruling the state since 2003.
As the five states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram -- go to the polls, here is how the big names are faring.
The audio tape suggested financial inducement behind the Congress candidate withdrawing from fray in an assembly bypoll last year.
Baghel led from the front to take on the BJP, led by Raman Singh, after being entrusted the task to revive the Congress' fortunes in Chhattisgarh following the third consecutive defeat in the 2013 assembly polls.
Jogi said he is under a lot of pressure to revive the state as the present state government is not letting Chhattisgarh develop.
The Congress was unhappy with a minister making allegations against its leadership.
He said the CBI charge-sheet is politically motivated and he does not see any reason to step down. "I will contest the case in a court of law and I am sure these charges will be struck down."
'BJP ministers in Chhattisgarh were arrogant'
In an embarrassment to the ruling party, two of its sitting ministers lost and six were trailing.
The Supreme Court on Monday cancelled the bail granted to former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi's son Amit Jogi in the case pertaining to the murder of Nationalist Congress Party leader Ram Avtar Jaggi.
Congress tribal leaders led by former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi on Wednesday opposed the candidature of PA Sangma for President, saying the Nationalist Congress Party leader was "playing into the hands of communal forces"
The Congress' backfiring brainstorming sessions Sonia Gandhi's retirement date Ajit Jogi robotic legs and new ambitions All this and more in this week's Dilli Gupshup.
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi's vehicle was attacked on Thursday morning by unidentified persons near Girwar village in Marwahi constituency, police said.The assailants pelted stones on the vehicle when Jogi was traveling through his assembly constituency in Bilaspur district, they said.Though the vehicle was damaged, Jogi was unhurt, police said.
Move over, national political stalwarts. The battle for the hustings in this tribal-dominated state is virtually centered around BJP chief minister Raman Singh and Congress leader and former chief minister Ajit Jogi. A look at BJP posters, advertisements and other campaign material leaves little doubt that the saffron party is trying to retain Chhattisgarh by showcasing the achievements and positive image of Singh.
Led by Raman Singh, the Bharatiya Janata Party has ruled Chhattisgarh for three consecutive assembly terms ever since a resounding victory by his party ousted the then Congress leader Ajit Jogi's three-year-old government in 2003.
Rediff Labs analysed the 2013 assembly election results merged with 2014 Lok Sabha election results to develop a Sentiment Meter for the 2018 electoral battle in Chhattisgarh.
Needing 46 seats to secure a simple majority in the 90-member state assembly, Bharatiya Janata Party led in 52 seats pushing the Congress to distant second place with a lead in 33 seats, as per the official website of the state election commission.
Electoral fortunes of 687 candidates, including 50 women, will be sealed in the EVMs on Thursday with 88,14,228 voters expected to exercise their franchise.
After the Modi mask in Gujarat, it is now Jogi mask in the poll-bound tribal state of Chhattisgarh. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's election strategies appear to have caught the fancy of political parties here.Children are seen wearing masks of former chief minister Ajit Jogi in his paternal village Jogisar. The party has distributed large number of Jogi masks in all the booths of Marwahi constituency, from where the veteran party leader contests the election.
Extensive arrangements have been made due to the COVID-19 pandemic including personal protective equipment kits for election staff, more polling booths, thermal screening, sanitisers, masks and gloves for voters and markings to ensure social distancing, officials said.
Bhupender Singh Patel, Arvind Vijay Mohan and Rajat Prasad, who played pivotal role for carrying out the sting operation, have also been charged under various provisions of Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act.
The agency is reportedly examining some videotapes and compact discs seized from Amit Jogi's residence.
The trial has to end before May, the Supreme Court said.
The CBI says it has 79 witnesses in this case.
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