Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Post Balakot, BJP bets on sitting MPs in Rajasthan
Lok Sabha Elections 2019: BJP leaders with knowledge of the matter said that on several seats where the BJP was not confident of a win earlier, it is now planning to going ahead with sitting MPs post the Balakot air strikes that changed the mood in the nation in favour of the BJP
After the Balakot air strikes, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) strategy in Rajasthan has seen a shift. The party is now confident of winning a majority of the 25 Lok Sabha seats and is likely to repeat most members of parliament (MP), while surprise candidates are also on the cards on weak seats.
Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, Rajendra Rathore, Gulab Chand Kataria, Satish Poonia, Arun Chaturvedi and other core committee members met Rajasthan poll incharge Prakash Javadekar with a list of around names of 250 candidates on Sunday, in Delhi.
BJP leaders with knowledge of the matter said that on several seats where the BJP was not confident of a win earlier, it is now planning to go ahead with sitting MPs after the Balakot air strikes that changed the mood in the nation in favour of the BJP.
After the Congress won the assembly elections, the BJP which had won all 25 Lok Sabha seats in 2014, was expecting a tough fight to retain its seats. It was also faced with a crisis of candidates. However, with the mood on the ground in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, the party is more confident of its candidates.
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BJP leaders said the core committee has a reached consensus on seats where MPs are likely to be repeated. These are Jaipur, Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Nagaur, Pali, Bikaner, Chittorgarh, Kota, Baran-Jhalawar, Jalore, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Bhilwara, Ganganagar seats.
However, no decision was taken on candidates for the Ajmer, Barmer, Alwar, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Dausa, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Rajsamand and Banswara seats.
These seats are all Jat or scheduled caste dominated and the party will decide on candidates keeping this in mind. Moreover, the regional parties are a factor too in these seats.
ABOUT THE AUTHORUrvashi Dev RawalUrvashi Dev Rawal is assistant editor with Hindustan Times Rajasthan edition and is based in Jaipur. She reports on politics, development journalism and women’s issues. She has reported from Delhi and Gujarat previously.Read More

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