New Delhi: In the last week, stalwarts from both BJP and Congress were seen slugging it out on the campaign trail with an eye on the Lok Sabha by-elections in Ajmer and Alwar constituencies, along with the Mandalgarh assembly seat. With just a few hours left for the results to start pouring in, the state units of both parties are keeping an anxious watch.
In the Alwar Lok Sabha constituency, it is a clash of the Yadavs. While the BJP has fielded Jaswant Singh Yadav, Congress has fielded Karan Singh Yadav. Both candidates are doctors who belong to the Yadav community that holds significant sway in the Alwar seat. What’s more is that Independent candidate Upen Yadav, the President of the Rajasthan Berozgar Ekikrat Mahasangh, threatens to split the Yadav vote further.
The other big chunk of voters in Alwar is Brahmins, which both communities have reached out to. But the Congress strategy, said sources, was to reach out to Rajput and Gujjar voters even as BJP reaches out to Jats. This strategy is similar to the one both parties employed in Ajmer. Rajputs are said to be discontent with the BJP following its handling of the protests against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat and the encounter of notorious Rajput gangster Anandpal.
BJP is confident that some of the development work focused on Alwar will bear fruit for the ruling party.
BJP state chief Ashok Parnami claimed that the state government had completed projects worth over Rs. 6,000 crore in the district.
Congress, too, is claiming victory on both seats. We are very confident of a victory in not only Alwar and Ajmer, but also in the Mandalgarh assembly seat.
“If you look at it, there are 17 out of 200 assembly seats where voting took place - eight seats each in Alwar and Ajmer plus the Mandalgarh seat. This is a mini-election, a kind of a semi-final and we are confident the Congress will win,” said Gopal Singh Shekhawat, Rajasthan Congress Vice President.
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