Assembly polls 2023: 15 seats to watch out for in Rajasthan

Jaipur: These are the 15 seats to watch out for in Rajasthan where the assembly elections will be held on November 23. The state has 200 constituencies.

1. Sardarpura: The Congress bastion in Jodhpur district has been sending Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to the Assembly without a break since 1999, when he won a bypoll there. In the last election, he polled 63 per cent of the vote.

2. Jhalrapatan: The BJP stronghold in Jhalawar district has been represented by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje since 2003. Raje defeated former Union minister Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra Singh Jasol here in the last election by about 35,000 votes, a relatively close contest.

3. Tonk: Congress leader Sachin Pilot, who has been challenging Ashok Gehlot’s leadership in the state, won the seat in 2018. The constituency has a high proportion of Gurjar, Scheduled Caste and Muslim voters.

4. Laxmangarh: The BJP has won here only once in 2003. Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra, has represented the seat the seat since 2008.

5. Jhunjhunu: Jat leader Sis Ram Ola represented the constituency thrice, and his son Brijendra Ola has been winning it since 2008. Rajasthan’s first Assembly Speaker Narottam Lal (Congress) was from here. Another former Speaker, Sumitra Singh, won here six times, four of them as a Congress candidate.

6. Churu: Leader of the Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore has represented this BJP stronghold six times since 1990. Congress leader Dotasra claims the mood in the constituency has changed, and dared him to contest again from here.

7. Udaipurwati: Rajendra Gudha, recently sacked from the Ashok Gehlot ministry, won this seat in 2008 and 2018 on a BSP ticket but switched to the Congress both times. Gudha, who claims to have a “red diary” detailing corruption by Gehlot, is now with Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena.

8. Kota North: Since 1993, this seat has been won alternately by the BJP and the Congress. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla won in 2003. Rajasthan minister and current MLA Shanti Dhariwal has been nursing the constituency, and wants his son to be given the Congress ticket here this time.

9. Anta: Rajasthan Mines Minister Pramod Jain Bhaya represents this constituency. But if renominated by the Congress, he could face a tough time from party colleague Bharat Singh Kundanpur, who has been constantly sniping at home over alleged corruption.

10. Udaipur: Gulab Chand Kataria vacated the seat he has won six times on his elevation as Assam governor earlier this year. There is speculation that the BJP may now field a member of the erstwhile Mewar royal family here.

11. Khajuwala: There is a buzz that this constituency could see a contest between Dalit leader and Rajasthan minister Govind Ram Meghwal and Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

12. Pokaran: Elections are often fought on religious lines here. Muslim religious leader Gazi Fakir‘s son Saleh Mohammad defeated Hindu seer and BJP candidate Pratap Puri in 2018. The two could face off again.

13. Bikaner West: Education minister B D Kalla represents the seat, but Lokesh Sharma, the CM’s Officer on Special Duty, has been making frequent visits and could be vying for the party ticket.

14. Khinvsar: Rashtriya Loktantrik Party chief and MP Hanuman Beniwal could contest this seat located in Jat heartland Nagaur. Bitter rival and former Nagaur MP Jyoti Mirdha, who switched to the BJP from the Congress, may be fielded against him.

15. Osian: First-time Congress MLA and Sachin Pilot-supporter Divya Maderna represents this seat. But RLP’s Beniwal has held several rallies here, and his party could pose a challenge to her.