Twelve LS seats entangled in caste equations, OBC holds key to victory

Jaipur: The last round of campaigning for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan has been completed. Election campaigning in State concluded at 6 pm on Wednesday. Voting for 12 LS seats in Rajasthan’s first phase will be held on April 19. Parties campaigned vigorously until the last moment for candidates contesting on all seats, including those from BJP and Congress. PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and CM Bhajan Lal Sharma led the BJP’s campaign.

Sonia Gandhi, Malikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, former CM Ashok Gehlot, PCC Chief GS Dotasara and Sachin Pilot were seen campaigning on behalf of Congress. The special thing is that there is direct competition on these twelve seats. There is no possibility of a triangular contest on any seat. But all the seats are entangled in caste equations. Traditional voters are divided between the BJP and Congress camps on these seats. OBC voters appear to be decisive, with PM Modi’s name dominating discussions across all seats.

MATHEMATICS OF COMPETITION FOR SEATS IN 1ST PHASE

In the first phase, the competition seems to be tough in Dausa, Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur, Jaipur Rural. On these seats, the entire party’s strength is clearly in favour of BJP candidate. Candidates from Congress and its alliance are demonstrating strength on their respective seats. CPI(M)’s Amra Ram in Sikar and RLP’s Hanuman Beniwal in Nagaur are seen challenging BJP on their own. In Nagaur, Beniwal is seen competing against Jyoti Mirdha while Amra Ram is seen competing with BJP’s Sumedhanand Saraswati.

In Churu, Rahul Kaswan, who got Congress ticket after leaving BJP, is facing a tough fight with Olympian Devendra Jhajharia due to his contacts and expertise in election strategy. Former minister Brijendra Ola is contesting elections from Jhunjhunu seat of Shekhawati with the credibility and support base of his family. He is contesting against BJP’s Shubhakaran Choudhary whose strength is the unity of BJP leaders with him.

In Dausa, another seat with tough competition, the ‘Sachin Pilot’ factor along with former Congress govt Minister Murari Lal Meena has made the contest tough. Minister Kirodi Lal Meena’s popularity in BJP govt benefits BJP’s Kanhaiyalal Meena. Congress has positioned Lalit Yadav against senior BJP leader Bhupender Yadav in the Alwar seat adjacent to Dausa. BhupenderYadav is included in the core team of PM Modi.

It is a common discussion among the voters here that Bhupender has the power to change the face of Alwar in terms of development. In Jaipur Rural also, Congress’s Anil Chopra is contesting against BJP’s Rao Rajendra Singh. The outcome of the seat hinges entirely on the caste equation.