Raipur, Jan 4 (IANS) Though the results of Chhattisgarh’s municipal corporation polls were declared last week, the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to come out of shock as its leaders debate how they lost in the state’s most populous towns Raipur and Bilaspur.
The results of all the nine municipal corporations were declared Dec 27. BJP won six mayoral seats and lost in three — Bilaspur, Rajnandgaon and state capital Raipur — all to the Congress.

The three towns, including Rajnandgaon which is the home turf of Chief Minister Raman Singh, were said to be BJP strongholds.

“The state BJP leaders are still shocked by the humiliating losses. The victory in six other towns does not mean much if you lose mayoral posts in state capital, the second most populous town of Bilaspur and above all at Rajnandgaon which the party had considered the safest as the chief minister represents the Rajnandgaon seat in the assembly,” a senior BJP leader said.

“We are yet to get over the shock. People think we won six mayoral posts and lost in three but ask any BJP leader here they are feeling ditched by people. Initially it looks a fallout of dissidence in the party,” he added.

Another BJP leader said: “We held several meetings during the past one week to identify reasons for poll shocks in three major towns. We are now listing out a few leaders and their supporters who need to be cracked down upon for having played spoilsport.”