The year was 1993. The assembly elections in Rajasthan saw Radheshyam Ganganagar pull a David in electoral battle in Ganganagar constituency by defeating Goliath of a candidate and BJP’s chief ministerial face Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Shekhawat, a veteran, salvaged his career by winning the other seat Bali in Pali district, which he had opted to contest in the same polls.
As the battle for supremacy in politics enters the final phase in Rajasthan, two seats out of 200 have wrested the attention of the entire political brass and workers alike. For the first time in several decades, perhaps after the grand old babosa of BJP was trounced, chief ministerial candidates for both mainstream parties, the Congress and the BJP, have a contest on hands.
In an aggressive manoeuvring, both parties have fielded reputed candidates and sitting legislators against chief minister Vasundhara Raje and claimant to her throne, Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Sachin Pilot. Manvendra, who recently switched to Congress severing a long-standing association with BJP which saw his father Jaswant Singh Jasol rise to the post of cabinet minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, has challenged Raje in her constituency Jhalrapatan. This constituency falls in Jhalawar district and has been electing Raje to power for three consecutive terms, now.
Responding to aggression by the Congress, the BJP changed its candidate contesting against Pilot from Tonk. Yunus Khan, transport minister, who was waiting in the wings got his shot at the polls in the fifth and final list, against the Congress biggie. Khan replaces the sitting legislator from Tonk, Ajit Mehta whose name was declared in the previous list. Muslims are a dominant community in Tonk. Khan is the only candidate of the minority community out of the 200 declared by the BJP in state.
Manvendra has already stirred the hornet’s nest with his comment, “I am more Rajasthani than her (Raje)”. Khan who filed his nomination papers against Pilot from Tonk is taking it as an opportunity to raise his stature as a giant slayer. Will the two be able to pull off a Ganganagar on Raje and Pilot is an answer that’s blowing in the wind. But elections are fickle. In India, they can be lost for the want of onions at cheaper price.
CONTESTS
VASUNDHARA RAJE
2003: defeated Rama Pilot
2008: defeated Mohan Lal Rathore
2013: defeated Meenakshi Chandrwat
ASHOK GEHLOT
1998: fought by election on seat vaccated by Man singh Devda in his favour, defeated Meghraj Lohiya
2003: defeated Mahendra Kumar Jhabak
2008: Defeated Rajendra Gehlot
2013: defeated Shambhu Singh Khetasar
