Rajasthan: Much closer than clean sweep BJP hopes for

The BJP seems to be struggling in one-third of the seats because of internal conflict, selection of candidates and recent anti-incumbency.

Following a thumping victory in the assembly polls, the BJP is gunning for a sweep in the parliamentary elections in Rajasthan. What could thwart the quest for the 25 seats is the presence of strong independent candidates challenging both major parties, with eight seats seeing a triangular contest.

The most keenly followed seat will be Barmer-Jaisalmer where Jaswant Singh is contesting his last election, against Congress import into BJP Col Sonaram Choudhary. Jaswant commands the lion’s share of the Rajput, minority and OBC votes while Sonaram is riding the Jat votebank and might also benefit because of Narendra Modi. A Jaswant victory could give rise to another power centre in the state.

The BJP seems to be struggling in one-third of the seats because of internal conflict, selection of candidates and recent anti-incumbency. The other triangular contests are in Sikar, Nagaur, Dausa, Jalore, Jhunjhunu and Churu.

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BJP rebel Subhash Meharia can play spoilsport in Sikar where the major parties have fielded “outsiders”. Churu witnesses internal friction in the BJP and Congress while in Jhunjhunu former Congress minister Dr Rajkumar Sharma is contesting as an independent. Dalit votes will decide Jalore seat where independent candidate Buta Singh might upset the BJP’s caste equations. Dausa seat has brothers Harish Meena and Namo Narain Meena pitted against each other.

BJP rebel leader Kirodi Lal Meena, who held the seat since 2009, is going strong yet again. In Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Mohammad Azharuddin, who was shifted out from Moradabad, will face a test.