In Rajasthan, where women continue to observe purdah and their world is restricted to their home and hearth, a group of liberated women with different political backgrounds are standing tall and giving men a run for their money in the poll arena. Of the total 2,087 candidates in the fray, 168 are women. That is up from 2008 when 154 women contested the elections.
In a land where caste-based politics prevails over everything else, 82-year-old Amri Devi, mother of jailed Congress MlA Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, is fighting her maiden election in a desperate bid to retain her family’s grip over the constituency, nurtured by her husband Ram Singh Bishnoi for six consecutive terms before his death in 2005. At present Malkhan, an accused in the Bhanwari Devi murder and rape case is lodged in jail with another Congressman Mahipal Maderna.
Despite facing odds and old age Amri Devi is not willing to sit at home and count on ‘past’ laurels to win the election. Each morning, dressed in her traditional Rajasthani dress, she steps out to campaign in luni Assembly constituency to woo the electorate. Some-times, she is seen traversing the dusty lanes on foot and on occasions she can be seen traveling in an SUV to cover vast stretches.
Amri Devi is locked in a triangular contest with BJP candidate Jogaram Patel and Congress rebel Rajendra Choudhary. The constituency has a sizeable population of Jats, Bishnois and Patels and the going may be tough for Amri Devi in the wake of the arrest of her son.Congress rebel Rajendra Choudhary, who enjoys the support of the majority of Jats in the area, is hoping to win the election. But Jogaram Patel may emerge victorious, taking advantage of the division of votes between Amri Devi and Choudhary.
In eastern Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur Assembly constituency, Princess Diya Kumari of the Jaipur royal family is also locked in a triangular fight with Kirori lal Meena of National Peoples Party and Danish Abrar, son of former Union Minister Abrar Ahmad, of the Congress party.It is proving to be a daunting task for all the three candidates in the constituency. Meena is toiling hard to spoil the chances of the BJP as he is attempting to forge a third front by roping in the maximum number of rebel candidates.
Meena’s job has been made easier by the Congress nominee. With 60,000-strong Muslim votes assured him, Danish is consolidating his position and working hard to win the support of others. Realising the importance of conquering Sawai Madhopur, the BJP has already made an attempt to rally votes behind Diya Kumari by organising a rally of Narendra Modi in the area. The BJP is also banking on the support of the royal family and tribals in the area.
The step granddaughter of late Rajmata Gayatri Devi, Diya Kumari is seen hurtling through the dusty terrain wearing chiffon sarees and chappals to woo the common man. She has been eating bajra rotis with chutney and sharing a charpai in between addressing street meetings to connect with the locals. Diya Kumari is all set to repeat the family’s glorious history by following in the foot prints of Gayatri Devi who surprised everyone by winning her maiden election with a record margin in the 1962 Parliamentary polls.
Another woman candidate is making waves in Rajasthan’s Churu district. Here Commonwealth Games gold medalist Krishna Poonia, a discus thrower, is playing ball on behalf of the Congress and giving her rivals run for their money. She is pitched against BJP candidate Kamla Kaswan from Sadulpur Assembly constituency.
Poonia was handpicked by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to win back the Congress seat. In her campaign meetings Poonia is making all efforts to strike a chord with young voters and women. “I will give my full support and time for the development of infrastructure in the constituency if voted to power. I will also struggle to create better facilities for sportspersons in the area,” Poonia is promising voters.
Another prominent voice of women, Mamta Sharma, chairman of NCW, is contesting elections on a Congress ticket from Bundi seat. By championing the cause of women at the national level Sharma is hoping to win the seat by defeating the sitting BJP MlA. Former Minister Mahipal Maderna’s wife leela Maderna is contesting from Osian Assembly seats but facing a tough challenge.
From the BJP, five-time MlA Suryakanta Vyas is in the fray from Soorsagar constituency of Jodhpur city. A devout Hindu, Kantas’ day begins by offering prayers and tending cows in her backyard. She looks after the needs of her family in the kitchen before donning the hat of a people’s representative.
First timers Vimla Jindal and Kamini Jindal have already created ripples in the poll arena by declaring assets of Rs 2,959-crores. Vimla Jindal, 65, wife of BD Agarwal, has declared assets of Rs 2,762-crore, of which Rs 1,558-crore belongs to her husband. Her daughter Kamini Jindal, married to a police officer, has declared total assets worth Rs 197-crore. Both are fighting the polls on the National Unionist Zamindara Party ticket.
Agarwal, a leading exporter of guar products in northern Rajasthan, floated the party this year to fight for the rights of peasants and farmers in the State. Vimla Jindal and Kamini Jindal had earlier filed their nomination papers from both Sri Ganganagar and Sangaria. The mother later withdrew her nomination from Sangaria and is the Zamindara Party’s official candidate from Sri Ganganagar.
