Rajasthan rural polls- BJP, Congress join hands to keep regional parties out

Miffed with the ‘betrayal’ in elections, BTP president Chhotubhai Vasava announced that the party will withdraw its support to the Congress.

The ruling Congress and the party in opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Rajasthan joined hands to keep at bay the candidates of regional parties in election of heads of the rural local bodies-- Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishads.

Strategic voting by Congress and BJP candidates in the rural panchayat polls in Rajasthan kept the regional parties out of power. (Hindustan Times)

The Congress, which had the backing of two MLAs of Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) during the recent political crisis in the party and during the Rajya Sabha polls, on Thursday, went on to support a BJP member, who filed her nomination as an independent for the post of head of Dungarpur district council (Zila Parishad), to keep the BTP nominee out.

Of the total 27 seats in Dungarpur Zila Parishad, 13 seats were won by the BTP supported independent candidates, while BJP and Congress got 8 and 6 seats respectively. Both the Congress and the BJP then decided to back Surya Ahari, who was elected as the Zila Pramukh on Thursday.

Similarly, at Khinvsar Panchayat Samiti in Nagaur district, Congress and BJP came together to defeat Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), an ally of BJP, and got an independent elected as district council head. RLP had won 15 of the 31 seats, Congress 8, BJP 5 and independents 3. Independent candidate Seema Choudhary won as she got 16 votes.

Miffed with the ‘betrayal’ in elections, BTP president Chhotubhai Vasava announced that the party will withdraw its support to the Congress. “BJP-Congress is one – BTP will withdraw its support,” he tweeted. In another tweet he congratulated workers of Congress and BJP, stating their relation was hidden so far, but has now come out in the front.

RLP chief and MP from Nagaur, Hanuman Beniwal, announced that his party was reconsidering its tie with the BJP after the “unholy” alliance between the Congress and the BJP defeated his party nominee. “Fearing RLP, both parties came together in support of an independent candidate. Our party candidates won in nine Zila Parishads. We never made any compromises but to defeat us Congress and BJP came together. We will reconsider our alliance with BJP – RLP stands with farmers and youth,” said Hanuman Beniwal, RLP chief.

The BTP, which debuted in the 2018 state elections in Rajasthan and created a buzz by winning two of the eight assembly seats of Banswara and finishing second in two others assembly constituencies. The unprecedented tribal upsurge in the largely bipolar politics of the state has alarmed both the parties.

“We spoke to Congress leaders including state party chief Govind Singh, district chief and at the CM’s office – all assured of support, but in the end, they betrayed. We went against BJP and supported Congress, today they are supporting their opposition,” said Rajkumar Roat, BTP MLA. He added that his party will withdraw support from the Congress government.

Political analyst Rajan Mahan said the developments reflected that ideology and ethics now seem to have little role in state politics. “It’s shocking that both the national parties came together to keep a tribal party out. This is politics of the most vulgar kind, where ideological differences do not matter to keep an emerging party out, which is raising tribal voice,” he said.

Another senior political expert called it a strategic move but added that it is ‘rare’ in politics for two big rivals to come together.

“The Congress move speaks for itself, they traditionally had support of tribals but with the BTP’s emergence they feel a threat to their vote bank. The state politics is largely based on a two-party system and none of the two parties want to welcome a strong third player,” he said.

On BTP charges, Congress spokesperson RC Choudhary said BTP is an ally of the BJP in Gujarat and the RLP is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and they needed to decide till when their association will continue on the farmers’ issue with the BJP. “The Congress at both places has supported independent candidates, who expressed faith in Congress,” he said.

BJP spokesperson and MLA Ram Lal Sharma said the decision was taken at local level in consensus with the candidates. “The decision was not of the BJP, but the candidates,” he said.

BJP won 12 of the 20 Zila pramukh posts in Rajasthan, Congress managed five and three independent’s got elected. Congress and BJP faced cross voting in Barmer and Jailasmer.

There was a close contest for the election of Pradhans, with the BJP winning 98 posts, Congress 97 and others 26.

Three independent members were also elected as Zila Pramukh in Ajmer, Bundi and Dungarpur.