Majority of the Congress candidates are facing an uphill task to retain their seats in poll bound Rajasthan, the two stalwarts of the party including Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Pradesh Congress Committee chief Chandrabhan are finding themselves on slippery wicket too.
Aggressive campaigning by the BJP top brass in Jodhpur and an endorsement by the royal family of Jodhpur has brightened chances of BJP’s Shambhu Singh Khetasar. Vasundhara Raje roped him for the seat to give tough fight to the Chief Minister who is riding high on the popularity in his home constituency.
On the other hand, if the turnout and the crowd behaviour in Jodhpur during Rahul Gandhi’s rally on Monday is any indication, then Gehlot must have seen the writing on the wall.
The people are unhappy with poor growth of the Jodhpur city in comparison to other urban centres in the State despite being CM’s home town.
Billed as one of the better organised rallies in the ongoing campaign trail led by the Congress vice-president, the local Congress leaders and the top brass of the party were left red faced when people started stepping out of the venue while Rahul was still delivering his speech.
Unlike Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit, Gehlot made no attempt to convince the people to stay back and listen to the party leader. Rahul had to abruptly wind up his speech before leaving the venue. He, however, made desperate attempts to cheer the rest crowd by waving constantly towards them but the audience was not enthused.
Rahul’s late arrival at the venue and overall disenchantment with the local leadership created this piquant situation.Though Gehlot is confident of winning the seat but over the years the victory margins are constantly sliding.
Despite several odds, Gehlot has not been campaigning much in the area. His wife Sunita, son Vaibhav and daughter-in-law Himanshi are at the forefront leading the campaign on behalf of Ashok Gehlot. Rajendra Solanki, JDA chairman is over all incharge of the CM’s poll campaign and is carrying out door-to-door campaign.
In Sardarpura Assembly constituency, out of 2.1 lakh voters over 70,000 electorate come from ‘Mali’ and Muslim community. Ashok Gehlot enjoys support base of Mali community but this time large pockets of Muslim voters are contemplating pressing NOTA to register their anger.
“We have been voting regularly for Ashokji but our area is still the same. “We have been deprived of better roads, clean water, adequate healthcare facilities. Constant rise in prices of essential commodities have broken our back. We no longer feel enthused to vote. This time we have the option of pressing NOTA, we are thinking of exercising the option to register our protest,” an elderly Muslim voter in the Sardarpura Assembly segment told The Pioneer.
Sindhi Sahabzada Bhil Samaj Vikas Samiti, a newly formed pressure group mostly consisting of minority population, is also giving sleepless nights to the poll managers of the CM’s constituency. The group is spearheading a campaign in support of better facilities and educating the local population not to fall prey to diktats issued by community leaders on poll eve.
“You have the right to chose your representative, no one can pressurise you,” the Samiti volunteers have been telling the voters in the area.
While seeking people’s mandate in his favour Khetaser is counting shortcomings of the Gehlot-led Congress Government in his campaign meetings. If Khetasar manages to tap in disgruntled Muslim voters and consolidates his support among other communities he may end up throwing big surprise. To lend support to Khetasar, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a big election meeting in Jodhpur on November 29, the last date of the campaigning.
On the other hand, Pradesh Congress committee chief Chandrabhan finds himself in precarious situation in Mandawa Assembly constituency of Jhunjhunu district.
locked in a multi-corner contest Chandrabhan is fighting a do-or-die battle of his long political career. Despite losing two previous elections, Chandrabhan was given party mandate at the behest of Union Minister Sisram Ola. Till date Ola has not campaigned owing to poor health.
Giving him tough competition is Congress party’s rebel candidate Rita Choudhary. After she was denied ticket by the party high command to accommodate party chief, Rita turned rebel and filed her papers as an Independent candidate.
Daughter of a respected Jat leader and seven-time MlA Ram Narayan Choudhary, Sunita is banking on the support of over 35 per cent Jat electorate in the area. The BJP has played to the gallery in the area and has given its mandate to a Muslim candidate Salim Tanwar, a former BSP leader. Tanwar is focusing all his energy on winning maximum minority votes to improve his chances of winning the seat.