Vasundhara Raje, the former chief minister of Rajasthan, has made a noteworthy return to the BJP’s candidate list for the upcoming state assembly elections. Raje is set to contest from her traditional Jhalrapatan constituency, and this move has grabbed considerable attention due to her recent absence from the BJP’s election campaigns.
Raje had been at odds with Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, which resulted in her reduced role in the party’s initial list of candidates. Their strained relationship traces back to her opposition to Shekhawat’s appointment as the BJP chief in Rajasthan in 2018, as she was concerned it might alienate the Jat community during the 2018 elections.
In a strategic effort to maintain political equilibrium, the BJP has now included several of Raje’s loyalists in its new candidate list. This decision was made following a Central Election Committee meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president JP Nadda, underscoring the party’s recognition of Raje’s broad appeal across different voter bases in the state.
Vasundhara Raje is a prominent political figure who comes from the esteemed Scindia royal family, who were once the rulers of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. Her family has a rich political legacy, with her mother, Vijayaraje Scindia, being a notable leader in the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) and later in the BJP. Her brother, Madhavrao Scindia, also made a name for himself as a prominent Congress leader.
In a noteworthy twist of events, the BJP made a strategic decision to include Narpat Singh Rajvi in the second candidate list for the upcoming state assembly elections in Rajasthan, where he is set to contest from Chittorgarh. This decision was somewhat surprising, as Rajvi was initially denied a candidacy, which had sparked controversy within the party. Narpat Singh Rajvi, a five-term MLA, has deep political roots as the son-in-law of the highly respected leader Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. The BJP’s reversal of Rajvi’s candidature is widely seen as a move to mitigate potential damage, with Rajvi emphasizing his family’s influential legacy as a pivotal factor in his favor.
These unfolding political developments are unfolding as Rajasthan gears up for its state assembly elections, a pivotal part of the larger electoral schedule encompassing five states. Besides Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Mizoram are also heading to the polls. Rajasthan’s political landscape is set to witness a significant event with all 200 seats up for voting on November 25, and the results anticipated to be declared on December 3.
In the preceding 2018 assembly elections, the Congress party secured a total of 100 seats, while the BJP managed to secure 73. Ultimately, the Congress formed the government with the support of the Bahujan Samaj Party, which held six seats. As we approach the upcoming elections in Rajasthan, it is clear that they hold immense political importance and will be closely watched by both the public and political observers.