Viral Video: The Barmer-Jaisalmer Lok Sabha seat in Rajasthan is up for grabs and will be contested in a triangle by the BJP, Congress, and an independent. But with bigger audiences showing up at his poll rallies, independent candidate Ravindra Singh Bhati appears to be unsettling his BJP and Congress rivals.
Significance of Barmer-Jaisalmer Constituency
Out of all the 25 Lok Sabha seats scheduled for polling in Rajasthan on April 19 and 26, the Barmer-Jaisalmer constituency is expected to showcase one of the most intriguing contests. The 26-year-old BJP dissident Ravindra Singh Bhati is running against Umaidaram Beniwal of the Congress and Kailash Choudhary of the BJP.
From Bipolar to Fascinating
It was going to be a bipolar contest, but Bhati’s arrival into the fray has made it fascinating. Bhati, who is presently an MLA for the Sheo Assembly constituency, entered the race on his own after his attempts to work with the BJP broke down.
“They have a trust in me. All of these people. They have trust that Ravinder will come forward, he will work for the region like their son and not like a leader.”, Ravinder Singh Bhati told India Today. Bhati, who is Rajput by descent, developed his political savvy in student politics. Large audiences have been attending Bhati’s election rallies. People have been comparing him to Sachin Pilot, the leader of the Congress, because of his increasing popularity, particularly with women and older people.
BJP Candidate’s Challenges
The absence of decent schools, bad roads, outdated villages close to the border, and a shortage of water have been points of contention for BJP candidate Kailash Choudhary, an incumbent Member of Parliament from the area and Union Minister.
It’s also probable that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would host a public gathering in Barmer to try to boost Choudhary’s popularity. Choudhary, who has been serving as the seat’s representative since 2019, is heard pleading with people “not to punish Modi” as a result of him.
Highlighting Achievements Under PM Modi’s Leadership
“Whether it is about schemes for the poor, strengthening of infrastructure, or the respect of the country across the globe, a lot has been undertaken under PM Modi’s leadership,” Choudhary said. When India Today TV arrived in Barmer-Jaisalmer, residents voiced their displeasure with a number of concerns, including the state of the roads and the lack of water.
“There are potholes at places on roads. Roads are not there. Minister (Kailash Choudhary) did no work in five years. There is only one issue (of the BJP) that we built the Ram temple. Schools are not in a good condition. Teachers do not come and students are not able to study. The situation is not good,” Rajendra, a local, told India Today.
Beniwal’s Move from RLP to Congress for Electoral Gain
On the other hand, Umaidaram Beniwal, the candidate for Congress, believes that his camp can gain from the developing caste equations if Bhati reduces the BJP’s vote share. Days before the votes, Beniwal had joined the Congress, having quit the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) because he believed that voters would not pay much attention to the RLP or its emblem.
Political analysts predict that, among the more over 20 lakh voters in the Barmer-Jaisalmer assembly constituency, approximately 7 lakh Jat voters and approximately 2.5 lakh Rajput voters may be the decisive votes.
