Raipur, Nov 16 (IANS): Having been in the opposition for a decade, the Congress party in Chhattisgarh is going all out with its single objective of bringing in 'parivartan' or change in the state.

With 72 seats in the 90-member assembly going to polls Nov 19 in the second and last phase of polling, the Congress is in an upbeat mood to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Chief Minister Raman Singh. Eighteen seats in the Maoist-affected Baster region went to polls Nov 11 in the first phase.

The first phase saw over 75 percent voting, as per the latest figures from the state chief electoral officer, despite violence fears in the area. This has left the Congress and BJP leaders flummoxed aboiut whether the high turnout was for change or for the incumbent government. Both sides are interpreting the turnout to their own advantage.

While seeking the 'parivartan' from the electorate, the Congress has started by doing some from within. Unlike in the 2003 and 2008 assembly elections, when senior Congress leader Ajit Jogi was projected as the chief ministerial candidate, the Congress has refrained from projecting anyone this time around.

"The party has been able to provide a unified image by not going ahead with a chief ministerial candidate in mind," a senior Congress leader in the state, requesting anonymity, told IANS here.

Former chief minister Ajit Jogi, who had run-ins with party leaders here and in New Delhi earlier over the leadership issue, too seems to contended with no one being projected this time. He is campaigning actively but not contesting the elections.

To curb any factionalism within the party, the Congress high command named senior leader Moti Lal Vora as the chairman of its campaign committee with Jogi as its convenor.

Congress leaders admit in private that a lot is at stake for the party in the elections as they "do not want to sit in opposition for another five years". Also worrying for the Congress camp is that if the BJP returns to power, it will have a bearing on the party's prospects in the 2014 general elections.

Chhattisgarh state Congress president Charan Das Mahant Thursday released a booklet titled 'Parivartan Laiye, Chhattisgarh Bachaiye' (bring change and save Chhattisgarh).

"The booklet exposes the false propaganda of the Raman Singh government about its performance. The BJP government claimed bagging 11 awards for governance. These have been given by some NGOs and other organizatons in lieu of hefty contributions," Mahant, who is among the names being mentioned for the Congress' chief ministerial probable, said here.

The Congress had managed to win 38 seats in the 2008 assembly elections while the BJP, which came to power for a second successive time, got 50 seats. Two seats went to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi and a host other national leaders and Congress chief ministers from other states have been addressing rallies across Chhattisgarh.