Jaipur, (Asian independent) Stage seems to be set for Assembly polls in Rajasthan in 2023 with political parties like the AIMIM entering the fray and changing the electoral dynamics of the desert state.
The two dominant parties in the state – the Congress and the BJP are busy wooing the voters and retaining their rank and file.
While the ruling Congress is planning a comeback cashing in on its populist plans like medical and pension schemes for the government employees, the BJP seems all busy stopping it by attacking the ruling party’s governance on issues like the second highest unemployment in the state, the highest number of crimes against women and policy of appeasement.
The road to success is not easy for both as factionalism is dominating high in Congress and BJP. While Gehlot and Pilot camp continue to stay a face-off, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and State BJP president Satish Poonia’s differences are also no more a secret in the saffron party.
Also, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party of Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal, which grabbed three seats in Rajasthan, in the last polls has announced contest polls on all seats. However, this time, it has announced its separation from its alliance with the saffron party and is contesting elections on its own.
Similarly, the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) which won two seats in the last Assembly polls is grappling with infighting at a time when it has garnered the support of tribals by announcing Draupadi Murmu as its Presidential candidate.
BTP earlier had extended support to Congress, however, at the present hour its stand remains unclear. One of its MLAs did not come to vote even though the party chief asked him to cast vote for Murmu. BJP in fact is planning to cash in on this development and probably shall win in its strategy.
Next, the new kid on the block is AAP which has already kept its flag higher in Punjab after making Delhi its citadel and is now eyeing Gujarat and Rajasthan. It has also announced to field its candidates on all 200 seats. It might get benefit from border areas of Punjab where the BJP has weak dominance.
Meanwhile, as all these parties struggle to keep their flags higher in the state, the voters are keenly watching every development making the contest interesting.
What is keeping excitement higher is whether the 40-year-old regime being run under Gehlot’s and Raje’s alternate BJP-Congress governments every five years will undergo a change.
Congress sources said that Gehlot in the next polls shall not be a chief ministerial face and similar is the case of the BJP which might announce a new CM face other than Raje.
So whether the new leadership brings in a newer vision and mission in this state rich in resources like mines, stones, travel, tourism, and jungles and lake, is to be seen.
An independent MLA, on condition of anonymity, said in any case polls 2023 will be interesting as it might set off a new trend in the desert state giving a new chief minister.
