Rajasthan polls: Royal families, caste politics influence Dhundhar’s power play

The region lies in the east-central part of the state and comprises Jaipur, Dausa, Tonk and Sawai Madhopur districts

The Dhundhar region that gave two chief ministers to Rajasthan — Heera Lal Shastri and Tika Ram Paliwal— has always held a prominent place in the state politics, and has also been considered to be the power centre. The political experts believe that the fight to win the region will be “neck and neck”.

Dhundhar has 32 seats and the power in the region has changed hands between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress (HT Archive)

The region lies in the east-central part of the state and comprises Jaipur, Dausa, Tonk and Sawai Madhopur districts.

Dhundhar has 32 seats and the power in the region has changed hands between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress. Earlier the region had25 seats, which was changed after the delimitation exercise. In 2008 elections, BJP won 11 seats, Congress 13 , independent candidates five, two seats were won by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and one by Loktantrik Samajwadi Party.

In 2013, the BJP swept the region, winning 28 seats, the National People’s Party (NPP) won two while the Congress and Independent bagged one seat each.

In 2018, the Congress won 20 assembly seats, the BJP and independent candidates bagged six seats each.

He said last time the Congress did well in the region but this time the contest is tough as there is factionalism in both parties. “The fight is neck and neck. A win will depend on the party who manages its candidates and factionalism better. The campaign carried out by the parties will also matter .”

While Congress is trying to attract voters on basis of their work, the BJP is trying to polarise the voters, he said.

Jaipur royals and their impact

The erstwhile Jaipur royal family played an important role in the region with Gayatri Devi launching the Rajasthan chapter of Swatantra Party. The family also established the state secretariat, assembly, SMS Hospital, as well as the Maharaja and Maharani Colleges.

BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari said Dhundhar region has offered a lot to the state. “The region before 1962 was dominated by the Congress but with the emergence of Swatantra Party led by Gayatri Devi, the Congress lost its foothold. She won with a historic margin,” he said.

Jaipur city, which is also known as Chhoti Kashi that was culturally rich and religious, has never been ruled by a single caste, according to the MP. “Members of the Brahmin and Rajput communities settled in Jaipur in large numbers. When former vice-president of India and former Rajasthan chief minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat contested from Kishanpole, communities such as the Brahmins, Vaishyas and Rajputs got associated with him while the Congress failed to attract them,” he said. The impact of Jaipur family also brought other communities such as the Meenas in Dausa with the BJP, Tiwari added.

This time, the erstwhile Jaipur royal family is back on its home turf with the BJP fielding Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari from Vidyadhar Nagar constituency.

A long and rich history

According to senior journalist Om Saini, after independence, till 1962, the prominence of the Congress continued in Rajasthan, especially in Dhundhar where Praja Mandal Movement was not opposed by the Jaipur royal family. It was the rise of Swantantra Party and Gayatri Devi’s entry into politics that gave a foothold to the opposition in the region. “By then resentment against the Congress had started and the rise of regional parties such as Swantantra Party began because the promises made were not fulfilled, especially the ones related to labour, peasantry and youth. As a result, in 1967 Congress failed to get majority, while the Swantantra Party won 48 seats and Jan Sangh 22,” he said.

Late prime minister Indira Gandhi’s Garibi Hatao movement gave Dhundhar back to Congress but after the Emergency, they lost to Janata Party in 1977 when Bhairon Singh Shekhawat became the chief minister.

“In 1978, caste politics began as mass organisations of political parties were not effective to an extent. The peasantry class came in favour of Congress because of the agricultural reforms introduced but in cities, the right wing parties dominated. Congress failed to counter the caste and social engineering strategy of the BJP and also could not establish leadership in this region,” Saini said.

Commenting on the development, retired Rajasthan University vice chancellor, professor KL Kamal said traditionally BJP dominated in the urban areas while rural areas were with the Congress in Dhundhar region.

“The Baniyas, Rajputs and Brahmins always stayed with BJP and the Congress got a foothold in places where the feudal forces declined,” he said. “The party ideology is irrelevant today and only those candidates (who are) from a dominant caste and have money and muscle power can sustain,” he added.

BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena, however, said that the region has been influenced by the royal family and has cordial relations with the dominant SC/ST communities. “It can be seen in the rise of leaders such as Namo Narayan Meena, Kunji Lal, Jaskaur Meena, Kailash Meghwal, Khiladi Bairwa and others. This region rarely had any communal disputes,” said Kirodi, who has been fielded by the BJP from Sawai Madhopur constituency.

Many constituencies in the region also have a large presence of Gujjar community which could prove to be a tightrope for the Congress. In the 2018 poll, the Congress swept the region due to one sided voting by the Gurjars in favour of the party, said analyst Manish Godha.

“The Gurjars went with the Congress in the hope that Sachin Pilot would be made CM. But their hopes were belied and the Gurjars are upset with the Congress and the BJP could gain from that. However, the Meena and SC communities continue to back the Congress and a tough fight is expected,” said Godha.