Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], February 15 (HBTV): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would succeed in the state's municipal corporation elections.

Addressing a press conference, the CM also criticised the Congress party, stating that there was no alignment between what the party said and what it did.

'We will win. We had succeeded in the Vidhan Sabha bye-elections too. There have been good developmental works in the last 13 months. People's faith in the BJP has increased...' the CM said while addressing the media.

'People have lost their faith in the Congress party because they have been looted by them... they say something else and do something else...' he further said.

Polling for 10 municipal corporations, 49 municipal councils, and 114 nagar panchayats across the state began at 8 a.m. on Tuesday and continued until 5 p.m., with the counting of votes set to be conducted on February 15.

There are 44.74 lakh voters, of whom 22.52 lakh are male and 22.73 lakh are female. The Election Commission has set up a total of 597 polling stations across the state for urban body elections.

In January, the Chhattisgarh Election Commission announced that the state would hold urban local body elections on February 11, with results to be declared on February 15. The three-tier panchayat elections will take place in three phases on February 17, 20, and 23, with results to be announced on February 18, 21, and 24, respectively.

On February 11, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao cast his vote at a polling booth in Bilaspur for the urban body elections.

The deputy CM appealed to the public to turn out in large numbers and participate in the electoral process.

'I have cast my vote along with my family. I urge you all to come out of your houses and cast your votes. This is the festival of democracy, and I request everyone to participate in it... BJP is going to win all the seats in the state...' Sao told ANI.

(ANI)