Journalism of Courage
Elections to 20 of 25 seats in Rajasthan will be held Thursday with a keen contest on the cards in several constituencies. Barmer will continue to be the hot seat with expelled BJP veteran Jaswant Singh putting up a stiff competition for BJP candidate, Col Sonaram Choudhary, who is being pushed hard by chief minister Vasundhara Raje.
The BJP and Congress are locked in a direct fight on 12 seats — Jaipur, Ajmer, Banswara, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Jhalawar, Chittorgarh, Jodhpur, Pali, Rajsamand, Udaipur and Kota — while the remaining eight seats will see a triangular fight. Barmer, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Ganganangar, Jalore, Nagaur and Sikar have independent candidates as well as ones from BSP, Aam Aadmi Party and Rajasthan Loktantrik Manch, who might play spoilers for Congress and BJP.
In Jodhpur, the equation has changed in the last two days. Sitting Congress MP Chandresh Kumari Katoch’s mother, the erstwhile Rajmata Krishna Kumari, issued an advertisement in local newspapers announcing that the royal family stood together. This is expected to impact Katoch’s kitty as the royal family is one of the most respected.
The dominant Rajput and Jat communities will lock horns in Barmer too where Jaswant who has been going strong, faces stiff competition from Sonaram after Raje rushed all forces to the constituency to woo voters from the minority and Jat communities. Jaswant on his part has come out in support of BJP rebel leader and independent candidate from Sikar, Subhash Maharia, hoping to make a dint in the BJP’s voteshare in the state.
