Poll, Diwali time: Gehlot lights 1.56 lakh diyas
Lighting over a lakh lamps, especially in Ayodhya, to celebrate Diwali was a trend started by the BJP after it came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017 with Yogi Adityanath as the Chief Minister. With polls around the corner, it seems Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot does not want to be left behind in celebrating the festival of lights. At an event at Jaipur’s Vidhyadhar Nagar stadium, Gehlot and his supporters lit up 1,56,000 diyas. The figure is linked to the ‘Mission 156’ that Gehlot has set for the Congress, as it is the highest number of seats ever won by the party in Rajasthan.
Family members battling each other in Raj Polls
With poll fever gripping Rajasthan, it’s not just the political parties that are fighting against each other. In some constituencies, even family members are pitted against one another. To name a few, independent candidate Meena Kumar is fighting her father and BJP candidate Jai Ram Jatav in Alwar (rural) constituency, while Congress candidate Ashok Bairwa is facing his father Dalchand, who is contesting as an Independent at the Khandar seat of Sawai Madhopur. Congress’ Shobha Rani Kushwaha, in the Dholpur seat, is fighting her brother-in-law and BJP candidate Shivcharan Kushwaha.
BJP not shy of dynasty politics
The BJP has always targeted the Congress over ‘parivarvad’ or dynastic politics. But in the state elections, it’s not the grand old party but the BJP that has fielded a higher number of candidates belonging to political families. In Kolayat, the BJP has given ticket to the grandson of veteran leader Devi Singh Bhati. In Hanumangarh, former minister Dr Ram Pratap’s son has been given a ticket and Vijay Bainsla, son of Kirori Singh Bainsla, is pitched from Deoli Uniara. Some other names in the list are Jhabar Singh Kharra, Manjeet Choudhary, Siddhi Kumari, Shailesh Singh, Jyoti Mirdha, Kanhaiyalal Meena, Deepti Maheshwari and Sumita Bhanchar.
Rajesh Asnani
Our correspondent in Jaipur
rajesh.asnani@ newindianexpress.com