India Today – October 08, 2018

“Raje has rarely been at her usual
best in interacting with workers, but
confined herself mostly to meetings to
implement policies and programmes,
working 16 hours a day,” says a bu-
reaucrat, who has been observing her
since 2003. At every election rally,
Raje lists her achievements and pres-
ents a few beneficiaries of her schemes
on the stage. Simultaneously, the
government has been holding rallies,
including one addressed by PM Modi
on July 7 in Jaipur that highlighted
the government’s achievements like
recruiting 40,000 teachers and giv-
ing promotions to 6,000 constables.
The party and the government
have planned more such rallies for
farmers and Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes, having waived their
Rs 50,000 debt.
PM Modi will revisit the state
soon to mark the conclusion of Raje’s
Gaurav Yatra that has primarily fo-
cused on the rural constituencies and
will also launch the party’s campaign

in urban areas.

To make matters worse for

Raje, the state government is also

dealing with issues such as conflicts

between the upper castes and

Dalits over the amendments to the

SC/ST Atrocities Act and recession

for which traders have been blam-

ing Modi’s economic policies. The

Congress has been highlighting all

these issues in its election cam-

paigns. And the BJP harping on the

Congress’s misrule of 50 years has

few takers in the state because Pilot

is a new face and because the BJP

has been in power for 18 of the past

28 years in Rajasthan.

The disillusionment of voters

with both the Congress and the BJP

is apparent given the fact that in

2008 the Independents and others

garnered 15 per cent votes, and

in 2013, NOTA scored more than

the winning margins in 11 seats.

This also means that the Congress

cannot be sure of getting anti-

incumbency votes. Such a situation

has made both the parties look at

key issues and the caste arithmetic.

The Congress has accused Raje of

ignoring civic infrastructure, farm-

ers and youth unemployment. The

party is also approaching a section

of Rajputs, including Manvendra

Singh, son of Jaswant Singh, who

has recently quit the BJP.

On the other hand, the BJP

high command is working hard

to retain the Rajput votes. Raje

has also appointed a considerable

number of Jat ocers in important

posts to win over the community.

Clearly, the battle of strategies is on

in Rajasthan. ■

BATTLEDRESS

Vasundhara Raje

during her Suraj

Gaurav Yatra in Alwar

district on

September 21

VOTE

%

SEATS

163

(160)

33

3

BJP INC

3 (2)

BSP

45

2013 assembly elections

TOTAL SEATS: 200

POLL CARD

Rest: Independents & others

The figures in parentheses denote

current seat position

21

(25)

OCTOBER 8, 2018INDIA TODAY  39