Raipur, Dec 8 (IANS) The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chhattisgarh, set to form a government again in the state, has wrested two Congress seats in the Maoist-hit Bijapur and Dantewada districts.
Bijapur district has just one seat Bijapur while Dantewada district has two seats - Dantewada and Konta. All three seats were held by the Congress since 1998.
The three areas witnessed a string of deadly attacks by Maoists against civilians and security personnel since the launch of the civil militia Salwa Judum in June 2005. The movement has resulted in about 50,000 tribal getting uprooted from 700 forested villages.
The BJP pulled off a victory in Dantewada, where its low profile candidate Bheema Mandavi defeated Salwa Judum hero and leader of the opposition Mahendra Karma.
The party also emerged victorious in Bijapur, where Mahesh Gagra trounced Congress' Rajendra Pambhoi.
The Congress managed to retain Konta seat by about 200 votes where its candidate Kawasi Lakhma scored a hat-trick. BJP candidate Padam Nanda has sought a recount.
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