A total of 223 candidates were in the fray for the first phase of Assembly polls comprising 20 seats in Chhattisgarh after the deadline for withdrawal of nomination papers ended on Monday, an official said.
The candidates include State Congress chief Deepak Baij and former Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party vice president Raman Singh.
Polls to these 20 seats in seven Naxalite-affected districts in Bastar division and four other districts will take place on November 7. Votes will be counted on December 3.