Rajasthan bypolls: Close fight and triangular contest in Vallabhnagar, Dhariawad
The bypolls have been necessitated due to the demise of BJP MLA from Dhariawad, Gautam Lal Meena, and Congress MLA from Vallabhnagar, Gajendra Singh Shaktawat.
Rajasthan’s two assembly seats going for bypolls this Saturday – Vallabhnagar and Dhariawad have become political hotbeds, with parties putting in all their efforts to bring them in their kitty.
The ministers and other leaders camping in for weeks, the CM addressing rallies twice, and the large presence of senior BJP leaders from Delhi and state has surprised the people of the constituencies with this attention.
The bypolls have been necessitated due to the demise of BJP MLA from Dhariawad, Gautam Lal Meena, and Congress MLA from Vallabhnagar, Gajendra Singh Shaktawat.
Both the assemblies are facing a close contest with regional parties and independent candidates giving a tough time to the ruling Congress and Opposition BJP.
The Vallabhnagar assembly constituency is witnessing close contest among three candidates including that of Congress, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, and Independent (Chief of Janta Sena), while BJP appears to be lagging behind.
The constituency has been a stronghold of Congress with the party winning nine of the 16 assembly elections held since 1952. The BJP candidate Randhir Singh Bhindar managed to win in 2003, and later as an independent in 2013.
Playing the sympathy card, the Congress has fielded Preeti Shaktawat, wife of late Vallabhnagar MLA Gajendra Singh, whereas BJP has picked up a new face Himmat Singh Jhala. Denied ticket, former BJP MLA Bhindar is once again contesting as independent, while another Udailal Dangi of BJP is contesting on RLP ticket.
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In Dhariawad, independent candidate Thawarchand, a rebel of the Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) would play a spoilsport for Nagraj Meena (INC) and Khet Singh (BJP).
The constituency came into existence after delimitation in 2008 and has witnessed three assembly polls since then, where BJP won twice (2013 and 2018) and Congress in 2008.
Confident of winning both bypolls, CM Ashok Gehlot has stated that BJP would come in fourth place in Vallabhnagar. “People of the BJP and the RSS are roaming from village to village and misleading people. Somebody should ask them why inflation is increasing in your rule (at the Centre). Do they have any answer? Petrol, diesel and LPG prices are increasing day by day,” he said, addressing byelection rallies on Tuesday.
“Whatever promises were made seven years ago, even if (PM Narendra) Modi made them, these people do not mention them,” he said. He alleged that people have been suffering due to inflation since the BJP came to power at the Centre.
On the other hand, the BJP is cornering the government on issues such as anti-people policies, law and order and power cuts.
Addressing a byelection rally on Tuesday, BJP national general secretary and in charge for Rajasthan Arun Singh said voting for Congress means giving license to the inaction of the Gehlot government, increase in crimes and misgovernance.
The chief minister did not leave the residence for 18 months during the so far tenure of 3 years, Singh continued. He said that development works came to a standstill in the Congress rule.
BJP state president Satish Poonia said there is a lot of resentment among the people about the anti-people policies of the Congress government.
He said that "there is a lot of resentment among the people about the anti-people policies of the Congress government, including increased power tariff, undeclared power cuts, incomplete farmer loan waiver, deteriorating law and order. And people of Vallabhnagar are also not untouched by it."
Political analyst Manish Godha said Dhariawad is known to be a bastion of BJP but the selection of candidates has somehow created problems for the party. A sympathy card could have been a better option for BJP as Congress has done in Vallabhnagar.
He said Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria has a good hold in the Mewar region and if BJP had put the responsibility on his shoulders then it would have been a better contest on both seats.
The polling will take place on October 30 and counting of votes on November 2.
In the House of 200, the ruling Congress at present has 106 MLAs, BJP - 71, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) - 3, CPI(M), and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) - 2 each, Rashtriya Lok Dal -1 and 13 are independent legislators. Two seats are vacant on which the bypolls are taking place.
Vallabhnagar
Total number of voters: 2,53,831
Total candidates: 9
Prominent candidates: Preeti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (INC), Himmat Singh Jhala (BJP), Randhir Singh Bhindar (IND), Udailal Dangi (RLP)
Who won last time: Gajendra Singh Shaktawat (INC)
Nearest rival- Randhir Singh Bhindar (Janta Sena)
Winning margin: 3719
Why polls are being held: Demise of sitting Congress MLA Gajendra Singh Shaktawat
Dhariawad (ST)
Total number of voters: 2,57,624
Total candidates: 7
Prominent candidates: Nagraj (INC), Khet Singh (BJP), Ganesh lal Meena (BTP), Tharwarchand (IND)
Who won last time: Gautam Lal Meena (BJP)
Nearest rival: Nagraj (INC)
Winning margin: 23842
Why polls are being held: Demise of sitting BJP MLA Gautam Lal Meena