Congress may dent BJP’s Rajput base with Manvendra Singh’s entry

Manvendra Singh’s departure from BJP has created new poll equations in Marwar politics, giving Congress an upper hand, say analysts. Manvendra is keen on contesting the Lok sabha election from the Barmer-Jaisalmer seat.

Veteran BJP leader Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra Singh ended his family’s four-decade-old relationship with the party and joined the Congress on Wednesday, an event that will impact politics in the Marwar region.

Analysts say Manvendra Singh’s entry will give the Congress a hold among the Rajput community that has generally stayed away from it. (HT Photo)

Manvendra’s entry will give the Congress a hold among the Rajput community that has generally stayed away from it. Rajputs have been considered the traditional vote bank of BJP while Jats that of Congress. However, the Rajput community is upset with the BJP over a host of issues.

Manvendra’s departure from BJP has created new poll equations in Marwar politics, giving Congress an upper hand, say analysts. Manvendra is keen on contesting the Lok sabha election from the Barmer-Jaisalmer seat.

According to figures estimated by political analyst Vijay Sharma, the Lok Sabha seat has about 2.5 lakh Rajput voters, 3.5 lakh Jats and 2.5 lakh Muslims. BJP has traditionally given four tickets to Rajputs on the 9 assembly seats in Barmer while Congress has given one.

He said Rajputs and Jats are political rivals and Manvendra’s move will help the Congress in getting votes of Rajputs and other communities such as Rajpurohit, Charan, Prajapat and other OBCs who are associated with Rajputs.

Sharma said Congress would also get back its traditional vote bank of Muslims that was dented by Jaswant Singh. He said that in 2004, Manvendra could win this seat with minority communities’ support.

Analyst Manoj Gujar said Manvendra’s entry into Congress is a huge loss for the BJP and it will not be able to compensate his exit as he commands influence over Rajputs as well as Muslims and other communities associated with Rajputs.

Gujar, however, said the Congress will have to rethink its poll strategy as Manvendra’s entry could alienate the Jats. Congress has traditionally given the ticket to a Jat candidate. Its MP Harish Choudhary was unhappy about Manvendra contesting from Barmer as he was hoping to contest from this seat.