Rajasthan state assembly elections, 2013: News, updates and all you need to know

With 200 seats up for grabs in the assembly election slated for December 1, 2013; Rajasthan is one of the five states that will set the pace for the semi-finals before the final Lok Sabha election in 2014.

With Rajasthan currently seeing Ashok Gehlot as chief minister of the desert state, the polls provide an opportunity to former CM Vasundhara Raje and the BJP to be re-elected to power.

With exit polls projecting a win for the BJP amid the Congress' dislike for these, there are a number of internal problems facing both parties as they race towards a win in this crucial state for the big semi-final to who gets to be in power in India in 2014.

For the BJP, protests, desertions and rebellions are haunting their cause. After the names of 176 candidates for assembly polls were declared, at least 12 former MLAs and several other party members from lower ranks jumped ship and joined former minister Kirodilal Meena who quit BJP to join PA Sangma-led National People's Party (NPP).

The Congress has named CP Joshi, a known detractor of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chairman of the state’s Election Campaign Committee. Joshi is considered close to party Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

Rajasthan is notorious for voting for the opposition in both the assembly and Lok Sabha polls.  Will this trend be repeated yet again in the state?

At its best the Congress managed to get 156 seats out of 200 in the state, while its worst performance has been 56. The BJP’s best performance was during Vasundhara Raje’s first term as CM which was 120 out of 200 seats, a tally never touched before or since. Its lowest has been 33 seats.

Ashok Gehlot’s free medicine and pension scheme has ensured that his government is popular with the masses. Caste will play a big role in the election as Bikaner has a large number of Dalits and sends 21 MLAs to Jaipur. The BJP is paying a lot of attention to this region in the hope of swinging the vote in the state in their favour.

The BJP is also using royal blood to win support by fielding 7 of erstwhile royal families including chief ministerial candidate Vasundhra Raje.

Congress has Commonwealth Games gold medallist in discus throw Krishna Poonia in their candidate list.

With both the Congress and BJP throwing all punched to top the pollrama in Rajasthan, the battle is close and whoever is able to deal the other a KO (knockout) will surely help their party gain much needed brownie points with the Lok Sabha elections on the cusp.

Major issues in Rajasthan:

The government's inability to control the rise in prices of food, petrol and other items in the last few years is one of the top reasons why people in Rajasthan are unhappy. Inflation is set to be a major factor when the state votes.

The rise in cases of murder, rape and crimes against women which has become a trend in India is also reflected in the state. The Bhanwari Devi murder case that has a cabinet minister and Congress leader is a blot to the ruling party. Unsafe Rajasthan and the need for better security will most definitely play a role when the voters cast their ballot.

Mining scams, nepotism and corruption has taken India by storm in the last few years and Rajasthan like many other states in the country has not been spared. Ashok Gehlot, the CM was accused of favouring companies that would benefit his son as well as of helping his relatives get profitable mining contacts.

This along with communal tensions that have been all over the state will play a vital role when Rajasthan decides who will rule the state.

Ashok Gehlot vs Vasundhara Raje

The story of Rajasthan for the last 20 years states that the chief minister does not get another chance to rule the palace state on the trot.

Known as the incumbent, Ashok Gehlot has history and his government's scams and mismanagement that could see the trend of the last 20 years repeat which means that BJP will win.

But with the polls in mind, Gelot brought a budget hailed even by a section of the Opposition as one of the best election budgets in Rajasthan's history.

Rajasthan became the first State in India to implement the National Food Security Act which claims to aim at benefiting around 46.4 million people.

The Jaipur Metro is also a boon for the government and is a plus factor.

The woman who stands opposite Gehlot is Vasundhara Raje. The CM of the state before Gehlot, Raje is seeking to return to power riding on the popularity of BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi who has been the rock-star of the poll campaigns for the 2013 assembly elections.

But Vasundhara Raje has been accused of indulging in corruption worth Rs23,000 crore during her term as CM of Rajasthan between 2003 and 2008, but luckily for her this has not been proved.

Raje in the election rallies and campaign has decided to choose basic rights of clean drinking water, electricity, roads which she claims have not reached the people in the past five years. She is also seeking to cash on the lack of safety of women in Rajasthan as she seeks to swing the votes in BJP and her own favour.

Here are the constituencies for the polls on December 1 which has 200 seats up for grabs:

1 Sadulshahar
2 Ganganagar
3 Karanpur
4 Suratgarh
5 Raisinghnagar (SC)
6 Anupgarh (SC)
7 Sangaria
8 Hanumangarh
9 Pilibanga (SC)
10 Nohar
11 Bhadra
12 Khajuwala (SC)
13 Bikaner West
14 Bikaner East
15 Kolayat
16 Lunkaransar
17 Dungargarh
18 Nokha
19 Sadulpur
20 Taranagar
21 Sardarshahar
22 Churu
23 Ratangarh
24 Sujangarh (SC)
25 Pilani (SC)
26 Surajgarh
27 Jhunjhunu
28 Mandawa
29 Nawalgarh
30 Udaipurwati
31 Khetri
32 Fatehpur
33 Lachmangarh
34 Dhod (SC)
35 Sikar
36 Dantaramgarh
37 Khandela
38 Neem Ka Thana
39 Srimadhopur
40 Kotputli
41 Viratnagar
42 Shahpura
43 Chomu
44 Phulera
45 Dudu (SC)
46 Jhotwara
47 Amber
48 Jamwa Ramgarh (ST)
49 Hawamahal
50 Vidhyadhar Nagar
51 Civil Lines
52 Kishanpole
53 Adarsh Nagar
54 Malviya Nagar
55 Sanganer
56 Bagru (SC)
57 Bassi (ST)
58 Chaksu (SC)
59 Tijara
60 Kishangarh Bas
61 Mundawar
62 Behror
63 Bansur
64 Thanagazi
65 Alwar Rural (SC)
66 Alwar Urban
67 Ramgarh
68 Rajgarh-Laxmangarh (ST)
69 Kathumar (SC)
70 Kaman
71 Nagar
72 Deeg-Kumher
73 Bharatpur
74 Nadbai
75 Weir (SC)
76 Bayana (SC)
77 Baseri (SC)
78 Bari
79 Dholpur
80 Rajakhera
81 Todabhim (ST)
82 Hindaun (SC)
83 Karauli
84 Sapotra (ST)
85 Bandikui
86 Mahwa
87 Sikrai (SC)
88 Dausa
89 Lalsot (ST)
90 Gangapur
91 Bamanwas (ST)
92 Sawai Madhopur
93 Khandar (SC)
94 Malpura
95 Niwai (SC)
96 Tonk
97 Deoli-Uniara
98 Kishangarh
99 Pushkar
100 Ajmer North
101 Ajmer South (SC)
102 Nasirabad
103 Beawar
104 Masuda
105 Kekri
106 Ladnun
107 Deedwana
108 Jayal (SC)
109 Nagaur
110 Khinvsar
111 Merta (SC)
112 Degana
113 Makrana
114 Parbatsar
115 Nawan
116 Jaitaran
117 Sojat (SC)
118 Pali
119 Marwar Junciton
120 Bali
121 Sumerpur
122 Phalodi
123 Lohawat
124 Shergarh
125 Osian
126 Bhopalgarh (SC)
127 Sardarpura
128 Jodhpur
129 Soorsagar
130 Luni
131 Bilara (SC)
132 Jaisalmer
133 Pokaran
134 Sheo
135 Barmer
136 Baytoo
137 Pachpadra
138 Siwana
139 Gudamalani
140 Chohtan (SC)
141 Ahore
142 Jalore (SC)
143 Bhinmal
144 Sanchore
145 Raniwara
146 Sirohi
147 Pindwara-Abu (ST)
148 Reodar (SC)
149 Gogunda (ST)
150 Jhadol (ST)
151 Kherwara (ST)
152 Udaipur Rural (ST)
153 Udaipur
154 Mavli
155 Vallabnagar
156 Salumber (ST)
157 Dhariawad (ST)
158 Dungarpur (ST)
159 Aspur (ST)
160 Sagwara (ST)
161 Chorasi (ST)
162 Ghatol (ST)
163 Garhi (ST)
164 Banswara (ST)
165 Bagidora (ST)
166 Kushalgarh (ST)
167 Kapasan (SC)
168 Begun
169 Chittorgarh
170 Nimbahera
171 Bari Sadri
172 Pratapgarh (ST)
173 Bhim
174 Kumbhalgarh
175 Rajsamand
176 Nathdwara
177 Asind
178 Mandal
179 Sahara
180 Bhilwara
181 Shahpura (SC)
182 Jahazpur
183 Mandalgarh
184 Hindoli
185 Keshoraipatan (SC)
186 Bundi
187 Pipalda
188 Sangod
189 Kota North
190 Kota South
191 Ladpura
192 Ramganj Mandi (SC)
193 Anta
194 Kishanganj (ST)
195 Baran-Atru (SC)
196 Chhabra
197 Dag (SC)
198 Jhalrapatan
199 Khanpur
200 Manohar Thana

Some voting figures:
Scheduled Castes (34), Scheduled Tribes (25) Total electors: 4,06,08056 Polling stations: 45,334

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