The first two rounds of the poll process are over with candidates filing their nominations and the Election Commission scrutinising their papers for the assembly elections due on November 25. The battlelines have got clearer on the 10 seats in Jaipur Rural region, which has always remained intriguing to the poll watchers.
Out of the 10 assembly seats in the state capital’s neighbourhood, six have witnessed direct contests between BJP and Congressin the last three elections, while the remaining four have featured triangular contests, resulting in victories for independent candidates.Phulera, Chomu, Chaksu, Viratnagar, Jamwa-Ramgarh and Bagru have consistently seen contests between BJP and Congress, while Bassi, Shahpura, Dudu and Kotputli have seen triangular contests. This time Chomu, however, is set for a quadrangular contest.
From Chomu constituency, Congress secured a victory in 2008, but in 2013 and 2018, BJP’s Ramlal Sharma won. This time, there is a fierce competition among four candidates – Sharma, Shikha Meel Barala of Congress, Chhuttan Lal Yadav of Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and Kailash Raj Saini of BSP. Saini and Yadav communities dominate this constituency. In 2018, Chhuttan secured 39,000 votes when he contested the elections on the RLP symbol.
Phulera stands as the sole seat that has been a steadfast BJP stronghold, with Nirmal Kumawat securing victory in three consecutive elections since 2008. The saffron party has again fielded him against Congress candidate Vidhyadhar Singh, who lost in 2018 by a narrow margin of 1,132 votes.
On the other hand, seats like Viratnagar, Chaksu and Shahpura, which were once considered BJP strongholds, were won by Congress and independent candidates in the last election. BJP secured consecutive wins in these seats in 2008 and 2013 but failed to achieve a hat-trick in 2018.
In Chaksu and Viratnagar, Sachin Pilot loyalists Ved Prakash Solanki and Indraj Gurjar won in 2018. Congress has renominated them this time, but Solanki appears to be on a sticky ground in Chaksu against BJP’s Ramavtar Bairwa, a former councillor. Gurjar would be facing Kuldeep Dhankhar, BJP’s former functionary, in Viratnagar. Dhankhar had secured around 40,000 votes as an independent candidate from Viratnagar in 2018.
Alok Beniwal, the Congress rebel who won from Shahpura as an independent in 2018, was seeking an official nomination this time too but the party has fielded newcomer Manish Yadav against BJP’s Upen Yadav, who had been fighting the government for the unemployed youths. Beniwal is again in the contest as an independent candidate from this seat dominated by Jats and Yadavs.
Shahpura, Kotputli and Bassi seats have often had triangular contests. In 2008, Ramswaroop Kasana of the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party won from Kotputli. BJP did not field a candidate from there, while Congress candidate Rajendra Singh Yadav finished second. The constituency witnessed triangular contests in 2013 and 2018, and both the times Yadav won and went on to become junior minister for home in the outgoing Gehlot government. This time, BJP has fielded Hansraj Patel, who contested the last two elections as an independent, against Yadav. However, BJP’s previous candidate Mukesh Goyal has turned rebel.
Bassi constituency has not only witnessed triangular contests but has also consistently rejected both Congress and BJP in the last three elections. Independent candidates have been winning this seat. In 2008 and 2013, Anju Dhanka won as an independent and in 2018, Laxman Meena, a Congress rebel won as an independent. BJP finished fourth in 2008 and 2013, but managed second position in 2018, pushing Congress to the fourth place.
In Dudu, there is a direct contest between Congress and BJP candidates. Only four candidates have submitted nomination papers for the assembly seat this time. Congress has nominated sitting independent MLA and former minister Babulal Nagar against BJP’s Prem Chand Bairwa, who won in 2013. Hanuman Prasad Bairwa of RLP and Teekam Chand Bairwa of BSP are the other two candidates from Dudu.
Out of the 10 assembly seats in the state capital’s neighbourhood, six have witnessed direct contests between BJP and Congressin the last three elections, while the remaining four have featured triangular contests, resulting in victories for independent candidates.Phulera, Chomu, Chaksu, Viratnagar, Jamwa-Ramgarh and Bagru have consistently seen contests between BJP and Congress, while Bassi, Shahpura, Dudu and Kotputli have seen triangular contests. This time Chomu, however, is set for a quadrangular contest.
From Chomu constituency, Congress secured a victory in 2008, but in 2013 and 2018, BJP’s Ramlal Sharma won. This time, there is a fierce competition among four candidates – Sharma, Shikha Meel Barala of Congress, Chhuttan Lal Yadav of Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and Kailash Raj Saini of BSP. Saini and Yadav communities dominate this constituency. In 2018, Chhuttan secured 39,000 votes when he contested the elections on the RLP symbol.
Phulera stands as the sole seat that has been a steadfast BJP stronghold, with Nirmal Kumawat securing victory in three consecutive elections since 2008. The saffron party has again fielded him against Congress candidate Vidhyadhar Singh, who lost in 2018 by a narrow margin of 1,132 votes.
On the other hand, seats like Viratnagar, Chaksu and Shahpura, which were once considered BJP strongholds, were won by Congress and independent candidates in the last election. BJP secured consecutive wins in these seats in 2008 and 2013 but failed to achieve a hat-trick in 2018.
In Chaksu and Viratnagar, Sachin Pilot loyalists Ved Prakash Solanki and Indraj Gurjar won in 2018. Congress has renominated them this time, but Solanki appears to be on a sticky ground in Chaksu against BJP’s Ramavtar Bairwa, a former councillor. Gurjar would be facing Kuldeep Dhankhar, BJP’s former functionary, in Viratnagar. Dhankhar had secured around 40,000 votes as an independent candidate from Viratnagar in 2018.
Alok Beniwal, the Congress rebel who won from Shahpura as an independent in 2018, was seeking an official nomination this time too but the party has fielded newcomer Manish Yadav against BJP’s Upen Yadav, who had been fighting the government for the unemployed youths. Beniwal is again in the contest as an independent candidate from this seat dominated by Jats and Yadavs.
Shahpura, Kotputli and Bassi seats have often had triangular contests. In 2008, Ramswaroop Kasana of the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party won from Kotputli. BJP did not field a candidate from there, while Congress candidate Rajendra Singh Yadav finished second. The constituency witnessed triangular contests in 2013 and 2018, and both the times Yadav won and went on to become junior minister for home in the outgoing Gehlot government. This time, BJP has fielded Hansraj Patel, who contested the last two elections as an independent, against Yadav. However, BJP’s previous candidate Mukesh Goyal has turned rebel.
Bassi constituency has not only witnessed triangular contests but has also consistently rejected both Congress and BJP in the last three elections. Independent candidates have been winning this seat. In 2008 and 2013, Anju Dhanka won as an independent and in 2018, Laxman Meena, a Congress rebel won as an independent. BJP finished fourth in 2008 and 2013, but managed second position in 2018, pushing Congress to the fourth place.
In Dudu, there is a direct contest between Congress and BJP candidates. Only four candidates have submitted nomination papers for the assembly seat this time. Congress has nominated sitting independent MLA and former minister Babulal Nagar against BJP’s Prem Chand Bairwa, who won in 2013. Hanuman Prasad Bairwa of RLP and Teekam Chand Bairwa of BSP are the other two candidates from Dudu.
