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Rajasthan’s seven Assembly bypolls present a test of credibility for veteran leaders
The BJP is trying to compensate for the loss of 11 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election in the State while the Congress-led INDIA bloc has fallen apart barely five months after the polls
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma interacting with tribal families on the last day of campaigning for the Assembly byelection in Dungarpur’s Chorasi on Monday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
JAIPUR
The byelections to seven Assembly seats in Rajasthan, being held on Wednesday, have presented a test of credibility for veteran leaders of both the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress. Amid the triangular contest in several of the constituencies, the bypoll results are set to make an impact on the State’s politics, though the BJP government’s stability is not going to be affected.
While the BJP is trying to compensate for the loss of 11 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election in the State, the Congress-led INDIA bloc has fallen apart barely five months after the polls. The Congress and two other alliance partners are contesting the bypolls separately.
The Congress, Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP), Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) and CPI(M) had together won 11 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the State. In the absence of a seat-sharing arrangement for the Assembly bypolls, the BAP has fielded its candidates in Chorasi and Salumber and RLP in Khinwsar, considered as their strongholds.
Besides Chorasi, Salumber and Khinwsar, the byelections are taking place in Jhunjhunu, Ramgarh, Dausa and Deoli-Uniara. Five of the seven seats fell vacant following the election of sitting MLAs, all of whom were from Congress and its allies in the INDIA bloc, as Lok Sabha Members. Two seats became vacant after the death of sitting MLAs.
In the Congress camp, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was absent during the election campaign because of his commitments in poll-bound Maharashtra, while his former deputy Sachin Pilot addressed some election meetings in Dausa and Deoli-Uniara. Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra was the party’s main face in the campaign at all the seven seats.
In a series of rallies, Mr. Dotasra claimed a “clean sweep” for Congress, while criticising the BJP government for its poor performance in health, education and infrastructure during its 10-month-long rule.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Tika Ram Jully accused the BJP leaders of trying to polarise the votes with communal overtones in their speeches and making hateful posts on social media.
Caste equation
There is a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress candidates in Ramgarh and Dausa, while five other seats are witnessing triangular contests. At almost all the seats, the candidates, including those fighting as Independents, and political leaders have made their strategies on the basis of caste equations and the population of different communities, while paying little attention to the local development issues.
RLP supremo Hanuman Beniwal’s wife Kanika Beniwal faces a tough fight against BJP’s Rewat Ram Danga in Khinswar, while Congress’s Ratan Chaudhary has emerged as a significant third player. Ms. Beniwal has banked upon her husband’s image as a Jat leader working for farmers’ welfare, as he had quit the National Democratic Alliance over the agriculture sector laws in 2020.
Fiery campaign
The tribal-dominated Chorasi and Salumber seats have witnessed a fiery election campaign by BAP candidates Anil Katara and Jitesh Katara, respectively, who have challenged the BJP’s attempts to make inroads into the tribal communities. BAP leader and Banswara MP Rajkumar Roat questioned the BJP government’s policies for the tribal areas during the campaign.
The contest at Deoli-Uniara seat in Tonk district is going to be interesting because of Congress rebel Naresh Meena challenging the candidates of both the major parties. Mr. Meena took out a rally of 5,000 vehicles in a show of strength as an Independent last week and called upon the dominant Meena community members, along with Gujjars, to vote for him.
Two of the Congress candidates – Amit Ola from Jhunjhunu and Aryaan Khan from Ramgarh – are sons of the MLAs elected in the 2023 Assembly election. The BJP’s candidate in Salumber, Shanta Devi, is the wife of three-time MLA Amrit Lal Meena, whose death necessitates the bypoll.
69 candidates in fray
As many as 69 candidates are in the fray in the seven constituencies, where a total of 1,915 polling booths have been set up. The results of the byelection will be declared on November 23. After the seven seats fell vacant this year, the strength of the Opposition Congress in the 200-member Assembly has decreased from 69 to 65, while the BJP holds 114 seats and there are eight Independents.
Published – November 13, 2024 12:45 am IST
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