Congress eyes Muslim votes, Beniwal seeks Rajput leaders as campaigners

Jaipur: The bypolls for two assembly seats, Mandawa and Khinvsar, promise to be loaded with political drama, action and emotions.

BJP’s alliance partner Hanuman Beniwal of RLP has decided to shed his party community specific image by asking for particular community leaders for campaigning for his brother Narayan Beniwal in Khinvsar from the list of BJP's star campaigners, while Congress candidate Rita Chaudhary’s team has asked for a prominent Muslim face to mobilise the second-largest vote bank in her constituency Mandawa.

The polling in both the seats is scheduled on October 21.

Ravinder Singh, a poll manager of RLP candidate says our party has expressed its desire to invite start campaigners like cabinet minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari, MLA Churu Rajendra Singh Rathore and Gajendra Singh Khinvsar. "Our party doesn't belong to any particular caste or community. We would like to give a clear message that RLP doesn’t have difference with any caste or community," said Singh.

Raising the emotions of the Jat community to influence the polls, Nagaur MP Beniwal is raking up the discord between the CM Ashok Gehlot and former leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi over the RCA polls.

In a series of tweets, Beniwal said, “The injustice with the farmer’s son will be revenged in the bypolls.”

BJP has given away Khinvsar seat to its alliance partner which has snatched three seats in the assembly polls. The bypolls are happening since Beniwal vacated the seat after victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

Congress is aware that BJP’s masterstroke of appointing Satish Poonia as the president of Rajasthan BJP will make a major dent it its traditional vote bank of Jats.

The ugly episode of Dudi will have a direct impact on the bypolls which are happening in the Jat dominated constituencies. Shifting its gears from Jats and Muslims, the Congress is relying on Muslims en-masse votes to contain the damage in Mandawa seat.

“Congress candidate Rita Chaudhary missed victory by a margin of 2,000 votes in a direct fight with BJPs Narendra Kumar Khichad. A BSP candidate Anwar Ali Khan secured close to 4,000 sealed the defeat of Chaudhary. Due to internal fight among the two Sheeshram Ola group and Rita Chaudhary group, Jat votes tilted towards BJP and Muslim votes divided among BSP and other independents. It is clear that Congress has to rely on a Muslim vote for victory,” said Ashfaq Kaimkhany, a political commentator.