Rajasthan Election 2023: All About Top Issues, Key Seats and Big Players | Explained

Rajasthan – a land of colour, sand, castles and intense politics— is now heading for assembly elections on November 25 where 5.2 crore voters will go for polling to decide the next government in the state.

The state is stuck between Ashok Gehlot’s anti-incumbency and BJP without a Chief Ministerial face. In the 2018 assembly poll, Congress swept to power with 100 seats in a 200-member house, dislodging the BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje Scindia. In the 2013 assembly, the BJP received a thumping victory with 163 seats and Vasundhara Raje being the CM.

In a state that has been mired by crime against women and successive exam paper leaks – two key segments of Rajasthan – women and young voters are visibly disenchanted with the Congress regime.

But the question remains is whether the BJP has used this disenchantment to its advantage or has the saffron party scattered its own house where its most formidable leader – a woman and Rajput – Vasundhara Raje Scindia’s sidelining has led to further disillusionment among the electorate?

Key Rivaliries in Rajasthan Elections 2023

In spite of being sidelined, BJP’s most formidable leader in the desert state remains Raje. On the other hand, even at the age of 72, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of the Congress is fighting for a second term. So, essentially a BJP-Congress face-off in Rajasthan means a clash between the two old horses.

However, it’s not just a direct fight between the two candidates. Both the leaders have rivals within their own parties as well. While Ashok Gehlot has 46-year-old Sachin Pilot to worry about, Vasundhara has 52-year-old Diya Kumari to be concerned about as the speculation goes that the saffron party is grooming her to be Raje’s replacement.

Though, Kumari, in an interview to News18, said she considers Raje as her “mentor", it doesn’t change much. On the other hand, Pilot’s hasty rebellion in 2020 when he along with 18 MLAs were camping in BJP-ruled Haryana demanding a change of leadership. Even as recently as this year, he sat on a hunger strike demanding action against corruption putting Ashok Gehlot in a spot.

Key Issues in Rajasthan Assembly Elections

Rajasthan’s examination paper leaks have almost become a norm. In this tenure itself, there has been at least 14 instances when examination papers were leaked impacting around 1 crore youths. With as many as 48.92 lakh voters voting for the first time in Rajasthan and playing a decisive role, their anger can cost the Congress dear.

Crime against women has been a recurrent problem in the state. In a press conference this July, Union Minister Anurag Thakur alleged, “A total of 33,000 cases pertain to sexual assault on women in Rajasthan, but the Gandhi family remains silent." Raje has claimed that most of the crimes against women have taken place in Rajasthan which alone accounted for more than 10 lakh incidents in 54 months. This time the state has a whopping 2.51 crore women voters.

When Congress leader Sachin Pilot had to sit on a hunger strike for not taking action against alleged corruption, albeit during the BJP regime- it put pressure on the incumbent Ashok Gehlot government. Both of Jaipur’s mayors were suspended for alleged involvement of their husbands in bribery cases. BJP alleges ‘massive corruption’ in Rajasthan government’s free ration kit scheme when they staged a walkout from the assembly.

Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari attacking the Congress government has said, “They have totally failed on all fronts, be it crimes against women, rising prices, deteriorating law and order, leak of question papers or widespread corruption. I could go on and on."

MEWAR KA KING KAUN?

In Rajasthan politics, an old saying goes: “Whoever wins Mewar, wins the state." But in 2018, that trend was unceremoniously altered. Congress swept to power with 100 seats but failed to sweep the Mewar region that primarily comprises of five Lok Sabha constituencies – Banswara-dungarpar, Udaipur, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh and Bhilwara.

Mewar comprises of seven districts of south Rajasthan. BJP won 15 out of 28 assembly seats in 2018, while the Congress won 10 seats from the region. Though Congress failed to click here, the BJP didn’t sweep either. In the last elections, the agrarian crisis coupled with Rajput anger over Deepika Padukone starrer Padmavaat in the Rajput-dominated Mewar was said to be the reason for a divided verdict – a first for Rajasthan.

Key Seats to Look For in Rajasthan Elections 2023

While the Congress hasn’t yet released any list yet, the BJP has come out with its first list. However, some of the constituencies remain important.

1. Sardarpura: This is considered to be a VVIP seat since CM Ashok Gehlot has fought from this constituency several times. The assembly seat falls under Jodhpur district.
2. Tonk: This is the constituency of former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot. Due to a sizeable Gujjar population, BJP has entrusted its controversial Gujjar leader Ramesh Bidhuri to ensure win for the BJP candidate.
3. Vidhyadhar Nagar: BJP’s royal face that it is projecting as its ‘next Vasundhara’ – Diya Kumari has been fielded from this seat. A cosmopolitan seat that falls under Jaipur, this was won by the BJP’s Narpat Singh in 2018. However, Singh is reportedly sulking.
4. Jhalarapatan: Though BJP has not yet announced Vasundhara Raje – its most formidable leader – woman, Rajput and a royal, Jhalarapatan remains a seat to watch out for given this is where she won in 2018 assembly poll for the fifth consecutive term. Last time around, she won with a margin of 34,890 votes defeating Congress candidate Manvendra Singh.
5. Jhotwara: Former Union Minister in Modi cabinet and BJP leader Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore will be contesting from Jhotwara this time. Last time around, Congress leader and former union minister Lalchand Katariya snatched it from BJP.

Both the parties are out there wooing the electorate. Between BJP’s aggressive Parivartan Sankalp Yatra and Congress confident Jan Ashirwad Yatra – it remains to be seen who manages to convince the voters better.