Post by Manvinder Adhana on Jan 7, 2006 1:41:11 GMT -5
Lokpal Sethi/ Jhalawar: Five months AGO, it would take more than two hours to cover a distance of 85 kms from Kota to this place because the road was dotted with potholes. Back then, Mr Ashok Gehlot was heading the Congress Government in Rajasthan.
Today it takes just a little over an hour and the drive is as smooth as silk. The road started donning a new look almost the moment Mr Gehlot was replaced by Vasundhara Raje as Chief Minister following last December's Assembly elections which brought the BJP back into power after a gap of five years. Ms Raje was elected to the Assembly from here. During the campaign, she promised that if the BJP comes to power, the pace of development would pick up. She has represented this Lok Sabha seat for five times in a row and nursed her constituency well.
In the Assembly elections, her son Dushayant Singh actively campaigned for his mother as she was busy in other places, in her capacity as BJP state president. In fact, he was seen in full command of the situation. In a way, he was trying to outsmart Sachin, Rajesh Pilot's son, who was also looking after his mother Rama Pilot's campaign, who was pitted against Ms Raje by the Congress.
People in general and BJP leaders in particular were certain that Mr Singh was being groomed to contest the Lok Sabha elections from this constituency. Although Ms Raje kept denying the possibility, few believed her. Therefore, when Dushayant Singh's name was announced as the BJP candidate, it failed to surprise the people.
Prior to the announcement of Sanjay Gujjar's candidature, there was a move within the the Congress to field Ramkishan, veteran party leader of the area. But the party leadership favoured Mr Gujjar as he is young and his family belongs to this area. The contest here now is an interesting one - son of a Gujjar verses the son-in-law of a Gujjar. Mr Singh is married into the only Gujjar royal family of the country, Samthar (Jhansi). Both the candidates are political greenhorns, this being their debut election.
The Congress got a jolt, when its district party president Man Singh left the party to join the BJP, after the announcement of the party candidate.
Despite his departure from the party, the State unit of the Congress here is yet to get a new president. Since Mr Gujjar, after his initial studies, moved out from here he is almost a stranger to the constituency. He is, therefore, hardly getting any cooperation from the party at the local level and is largely dpendent on his own resources and people.
Mr Singh has several advantages over his rival. He is asking for votes on the basis of the work done by his mother during her stint as MP. He never forgets to remind his audience that with his mother as Chief Minister, the area is likely to receive better treatment as far as development is concerned. Although he has picked up the art of delivering a political speech, he is yet to perfect the art. Instead of delivering lengthy speeches, he is usually brief, making up for this lack by mingling easily with the crowds and sharing meals of roti, chutney and onions with them in the precincts of their humble homes.
This style of campaigning resembles his mother's whose biggest assest is direct interaction with the people. Mr Singh is trying to mould himself on similar lines.
Ms Raje has already paid a visit to the constituency. She was assured by the local party leaders here that she has little cause for worry because the wind is already blowing in Mr Singh way.
Today it takes just a little over an hour and the drive is as smooth as silk. The road started donning a new look almost the moment Mr Gehlot was replaced by Vasundhara Raje as Chief Minister following last December's Assembly elections which brought the BJP back into power after a gap of five years. Ms Raje was elected to the Assembly from here. During the campaign, she promised that if the BJP comes to power, the pace of development would pick up. She has represented this Lok Sabha seat for five times in a row and nursed her constituency well.
In the Assembly elections, her son Dushayant Singh actively campaigned for his mother as she was busy in other places, in her capacity as BJP state president. In fact, he was seen in full command of the situation. In a way, he was trying to outsmart Sachin, Rajesh Pilot's son, who was also looking after his mother Rama Pilot's campaign, who was pitted against Ms Raje by the Congress.
People in general and BJP leaders in particular were certain that Mr Singh was being groomed to contest the Lok Sabha elections from this constituency. Although Ms Raje kept denying the possibility, few believed her. Therefore, when Dushayant Singh's name was announced as the BJP candidate, it failed to surprise the people.
Prior to the announcement of Sanjay Gujjar's candidature, there was a move within the the Congress to field Ramkishan, veteran party leader of the area. But the party leadership favoured Mr Gujjar as he is young and his family belongs to this area. The contest here now is an interesting one - son of a Gujjar verses the son-in-law of a Gujjar. Mr Singh is married into the only Gujjar royal family of the country, Samthar (Jhansi). Both the candidates are political greenhorns, this being their debut election.
The Congress got a jolt, when its district party president Man Singh left the party to join the BJP, after the announcement of the party candidate.
Despite his departure from the party, the State unit of the Congress here is yet to get a new president. Since Mr Gujjar, after his initial studies, moved out from here he is almost a stranger to the constituency. He is, therefore, hardly getting any cooperation from the party at the local level and is largely dpendent on his own resources and people.
Mr Singh has several advantages over his rival. He is asking for votes on the basis of the work done by his mother during her stint as MP. He never forgets to remind his audience that with his mother as Chief Minister, the area is likely to receive better treatment as far as development is concerned. Although he has picked up the art of delivering a political speech, he is yet to perfect the art. Instead of delivering lengthy speeches, he is usually brief, making up for this lack by mingling easily with the crowds and sharing meals of roti, chutney and onions with them in the precincts of their humble homes.
This style of campaigning resembles his mother's whose biggest assest is direct interaction with the people. Mr Singh is trying to mould himself on similar lines.
Ms Raje has already paid a visit to the constituency. She was assured by the local party leaders here that she has little cause for worry because the wind is already blowing in Mr Singh way.
