Jat rumblings to anti-incumbency: Congress hopes Rajasthan halts a run

IN BOTH 2014 and 2019, the BJP-led NDA made a clean sweep of all the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan. As 12 seats go to polls in the first phase on Friday, the Congress hopes to break that trend this time.

The Congress is relying on anger among Jats, anti-incumbency and coalitions, while the BJP is banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hold over voters, Ram Temple, abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and a perception about India’s “powerful” image abroad, apart from consolidating its power through inductions of leaders from other parties.

Of the 12 seats, at least three — Churu, Nagaur and Dausa — are likely to see a tough fight. In the remaining nine, the BJP is either comfortably placed, such as in Jaipur City and Bikaner, or has an edge, like in Ganganagar, Jhunjhunu and Bharatpur.

In Churu and Nagaur, Jats have kept both the parties guessing. Both the BJP and Congress have fielded Jats from the two seats.

In Churu, the Congress is hoping to tap into Jat anger over denial of BJP ticket to sitting MP Rahul Kaswan, allegedly at the behest of Rajendra Rathore, a Rajput, while the BJP has thrown its weight behind paralympian Devendra Jhajhariya. Kaswan, who has since left the BJP, is now the Congress candidate. The poll contest is being seen a Kaswan versus Rathore fight. In an attempt to put the spotlight back on its candidate, the BJP coined the slogan, “Dilli mein Narendra, Churu mein Devendra”, while Modi spoke about his “old relations” with Jhajhariya at a rally in the area.

The non-inclusion of Jat leaders in the top three posts in the state — chief minister and two deputy chief ministers — is seen as one of the reasons behind the community’s anger towards the BJP. The party has been trying to counter