Four states are about to go for assembly elections prior to the Lok Sabha 2019 general elections, namely Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram. But out of all these states, Rajasthan is very crucial for the BJP. According to the mainstream media out of these four states Rajasthan is the one where Bharatiya Janata Party seems to be on the shakiest ground. But contrary to the perception created by Lutyen’s media, BJP is very strong in the state as compared to the Congress party which is suffering from massive infighting over the chief minister’s post. And there are 5 reasons for it.
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The pro-people policies are a hit:
Loan Waivers: Vasundhara Raje led government has taken countless measures to ensure the prosperity of the people. she announced massive relief and loan waivers. In June, Vasundhara Raje launched her ambitious loan waiver scheme from Banswara. The ambitious project is aimed at providing relief to the 29+ lakh farmers from Rajasthan who are debt ridden. CM Vasundhara’s project overshadows the loan waiver announced by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in 2008; it played a major role in bringing back Congress in the 2009 elections.
Bhamashah Yojna: This scheme was launched by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on 15 August 2014. The scheme is aimed at financial inclusion, women empowerment and effective service delivery. Under the scheme the government of the state transfers financial and non-financial benefits of governmental schemes directly to women recipients in a transparent way. Under Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojana people of the state are provided with cashless treatment even at private hospitals. The scheme is very popular in the state and has many beneficiaries.
Jal Swablamban Scheme: This scheme has been hugely successful. The objectives of the scheme are making villages self-sufficient in water and creating “Island of Excellence.” It has been launched across 295 blocks of 33 districts. The state government has constructed over 3 lakh 56 thousand water harvesting structures in order to accumulate rain water to solve the problem of water shortage.
There are many other similar schemes also which have benefited the people of the state immensely and thus people are likely to be on Vasundhara’s side on the polling day.
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PM Modi’s blitzkrieg:
PM Modi announced that he will conduct two rallies every month in Rajasthan. BJP’s star campaigner PM Modi had already addressed one rally at Amrood Ka Bagh (Guava Orchard) in Jaipur and he will address many more rallies. PM Modi has proved to be sureshot vote catcher. His last minute heroics saved Gujarat for the BJP and his Karnataka rallies led to BJP emerging as the single largest party.
Prime Minister Modi will be the right man to shed light on the achievements of Vasundhara Government and the work done by her for the welfare and development of Rajasthan.
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Gehlot Vs Pilot:
Major infighting in Congress is another factor that goes in BJP’s favor. Congress as of now is facing a civil war of its own, and this infighting is bound to hurt the prospects of Congress in the state. Former CM of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot has expressed the desire to remain in the state to solidify his position for the CM chair. While the Rahul Gandhi is keen on considering Sachin Pilot’s name for the CM post, some statements given by Gehlot and his supporters have wreaked havoc in the camps of the Congress. Both camps are locked in a game of muscle flexing and posturing.
This infighting is bound to hurt the party in the upcoming elections, state as well as Lok Sabha elections as it may lead to defection of disgruntled leaders.
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Rajput votes
Re-consolidation of Rajput votes (who were alienated after Anandpal’s murder): Rajputs have remained the traditional supporters of BJP in Rajasthan. However, in the recent Rajasthan by-poll elections, according to election strategists, Rajputs voted against the BJP mainly because of two reasons. First, encounter of gangster Anand Pal, a local Rajput hero and second, the Padmavat movie row. However, if we analyze closely, Rajputs supported the Congress because the BJP candidate in Ajmer was a Jat and the two caste groups aren’t the best of friends in Rajasthan. The Congress candidate was a Brahmin. So, Rajputs preferred Brahmin over a Jat. In Alwar and Mandalgarh Rajput votes went for the BJP despite Padmavat row. In Mandalgarh, the BJP candidate was a Rajput who was very popular in the region. So, the Rajputs votes according to candidate and not by other factors such as Padmavat movie and Anandpal case. Other factors were also responsible for the BJP’s defeat in Rajasthan by-polls such as poor strategy and lax attitude of the BJP state unit. But one thing is very clear that Rajputs have not alienated from the BJP in Rajasthan as the seasoned panelists on TV would want you to believe
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One Nation, One Election