Jaipur, Nov 22: While the ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have locked horns in majority of seats in Rajasthan assembly election, there is a possibility of triangular or even quadrangular contest in more than 40 seats due to the presence of rebel candidates of both parties and nominees of other political parties.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is fighting a direct battle with BJP candidate Dr Mahendra Singh Rathore in Sardarpura seat of Jodhpur.
Similarly, former CM Vasundhara Raje is facing challenge from Congress candidate Ram Lal Chauhan in Jhalrapatan seat and Assembly Speaker Dr CP Joshi from BJP candidate Vishwaraj Singh Mewar in Nathdwara assembly constituency.
Similarly, Leader of Opposition in the assembly Rajendra Singh Rathore is facing stiff challenge from Congress candidate Narendra on Taranagar seat in Churu district.
Former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot’s election to Tonk seat is being considered as a direct contest between BJP candidate Ajit Singh Mehta and Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasara from former Union Minister Subhash Mahariya, who had earlier joined BJP.
Even many ministers of Gehlot government including Shanti Dhariwal from Kota North, BD Kalla from Bikaner West, Parsadi Lal Meena from Lalsot, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas from Civil Lines are in direct contest with the BJP candidates.
Apart from this, former Union Minister Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is likely to have a direct contest with the Congress candidate in Jhotwara, Jaipur, MP Diya Kumari in Vidhyadhar Nagar, Dr Kirodi Lal Meena in Sawaimadhopur and Mahant Balaknath in Tijara.
This time rebel candidates from both Congress and BJP are playing spoilsport for many official candidates of both the parties. While both parties have been successful in convincing many rebel leaders, several unrelenting ones were expelled by Congress and BJP.
Despite this many rebels are also posing a problem for the party’s official candidates as they are in the election field and there are chances of a triangular contest on more than 40 seats in the state.
Among these, Subhash Garg, minister in Gehlot government, is trapped in a triangular fight with BJP candidate Vijay Bansal and other candidate Girish Chaudhary on Bharatpur seat.
In Chittorgarh, which has emerged as one of the much talked about seat, sitting BJP MLA Chandrabhan Singh Akya, who is contesting as an independent candidate after being denied ticket by the party, is posing a serious challenge to former minister and BJP candidate Narpat Singh Rajvi and Congress nominee Surendra Singh Jadawat.
Former Assembly Speaker Deependra Singh Shekhawat is locked in a triangular contest in Shrimadhopur with Congress rebel Balram Yadav in the fray along with the BJP candidate.
Former Assembly Speaker Kailash Meghwal is also likely to face a triangular election contest as an independent candidate with BJP candidate Lala Ram Bairwa and Congress candidate Narendra Kumar Regar.
MP Bhagirath Choudhary seems to be stuck between Vikas Choudhary, who joined Congress after quitting BJP, and MLA Suresh Tak, who is contesting as an independent candidate from Kishangarh seat of Ajmer. However, after the recent election meeting of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Bhagirath Choudhary seems enthusiastic.
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLPA) convenor and MP Hanuman Beniwal is also seen trapped in a triangular contest with Congress candidate Tejpal Mirdha and BJP’s Revantram Danga on Khinwsar seat. If Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Nemaram makes a strong push in Khinwsar, then the fight may become quadrangular.
In Bhopalgarh, RLPA MLA Pukhraj Garg is also likely to have a triangular election contest with BJP’s Kamsa Meghwal and Congress’s Geeta Barwad. Mirdha family, which has dominated politics for decades in Nagaur district, is also trapped in a triangular contest on the Nagaur Assembly seat this time.
Jyoti Mirdha, the granddaughter of former Union Minister Nathuram Mirdha and former MP, who left Congress and joined the BJP before the elections, and former Central Congress candidate Harendra Mirdha, son of minister Ramniwas Mirdha and former minister, seems to be stuck in a triangular contest with independent candidate and former minister Habibur Rahman.
However, after the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here, Jyoti Mirdha is considered to have the upper hand.
