BJP, Congress gear up for Rajasthan fight

Neeraj Mohan

Sikar, April 9

With less than two weeks remaining until the polling day, political fervour is intensifying in Rajasthan as the ruling BJP and opposition parties ramp up their campaigns.

A total of 12 constituencies along the Haryana and Delhi borders, namely Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur Urban, Alwar, Bharatpur (SC), Karoli-Dhaulpur (SC), Dausa (ST), and Nagaur, are slated to go to the polls on April 19.

The second phase will witness voting in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies on April 26.

Apart from Nagaur and Sikar, where the Congress has formed alliances, with the RLP and the CPM, respectively, all 10 seats in the first round will witness a direct contest between the ruling BJP and the Congress.

The majority of seats in the first phase have a significant Jat population. Given that the most Assembly seats under these Lok Sabha constituencies saw fierce battles between the Congress and the BJP in last year’s Assembly elections, the top leadership of both parties has launched an aggressive campaign in this region.

The BJP top brass, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, party president JP Nadda, and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, are leading the charge alongside local leadership in the state.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi have kicked off the party’s election campaign in Rajasthan. Also former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is set to join the campaign on April 11.