Rajasthan poll tracker: Anti-incumbency is the buzzword

The present strength of the Rajasthan Assembly is 200 and there are only two major contenders - the BJP and the Congress. The BSP has a small presence spread across the state.

The Congress which was expected to go to the polls with the BSP as a partner is going it all alone. In the last election in 2013, the BJP swept the election, winning 160 seats with the Congress producing its worst-ever show, winning just 21 seats.

But the Congress, jubilant after winning two Lok Sabha by-elections and a Vidhan Sabha by-election has roared back to offer a stiff challenge to the BJP. The losses of two Lok Sabha seats in the bye-elections and a Vidhan Sabha seat sent shock waves across the BJP.

PCC president Sachin Pilot, after the electoral success of the party in the bye-elections, rejuvenated the party and has worked hard to invigorate the party’s cadres by touring across the state. He tirelessly worked to reunite the party cadres by exposing the Vasundhara Raje government’s failures to fulfil the aspirations of the people despite the massive mandate given by people in the 2013 election.

Vasundhara was the only BJP Chief Minister, who led the party to gain a clear majority in two Vidhan Sabha elections. Even a person of the eminence and stature of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat could not help the BJP get a clear majority and on two occasions, Shekhawat could form the government with support of the independents.

But, the BJP is on a sticky wicket this time and the charisma of Vasundhara Raje has gone missing. Her over-dependence on the bureaucracy led to rampant corruption. Two of the senior bureaucrats, Ashok Singhvi and Niraj Pawan, were arrested and are facing prosecution for their involvement in corruption. Both were reinstated but the sword of Damocles is hanging on their head. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is a force to reckon with in the state, sent shock waves across the bureaucracy when he warned the bureaucrats that they would be subjected to inquiries and punishments for their indulgence in corruption, if the Congress comes back to power.

Poor governance and the non-fulfilment of the promises made in the party’s manifesto in 2013 where 15 lakh jobs were promised to the youth led to the youth’s anger. The youth who voted overwhelmingly for the BJP in the last Vidhan Sabha election may now teach the BJP a lesson. The farmers did not get the promised irrigation facilities. Rajasthan remains a state which is the biggest producer of solar power but where farmers are unable to irrigate their fields because of paucity of power.

Western Rajasthan is facing a severe drought and the farmers in the arid part of the state have no fodder to feed their livestock. A rainfall deficit of 60 per cent led to it and farmer's disillusionment is for all to see. Western Rajasthan overwhelmingly voted for the BJP in the last election. But people here are regretting their decision and are in favour of bringing back the Congress.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje took out the much-publicised Gaurav Yatra, which was largely funded by the state government, but a High Court order prohibited the state government to spend on the same. The High Court’s order took the wind out of the sail of the Gaurav yatra and it turned into a farce. The Chief Minister, just before the model code of conduct came into force, made an announcement to give mobile phones to BPL families, but there was no budgetary allotment made for this offer.

The massive roadshows undertaken by BJP supremo Amit Shah to enthuse the party cadres only show the desperation of the party. They did not evoke much enthusiasm amongst the voters.

This article first appeared on National Herald on Sunday.