Ajmer (Rajasthan), March 29 (IANS) Ajmer, home to the shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, will see state Congress chief and union minister Sachin Pilot squaring off against prominent Jat leader Sanwar Lal Jat of the BJP.
Sanwar Jat is a minister in the state cabinet of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
No other prominent leader is in the fray in the election to the Lok Sabha from the constituency.
Besides caste-based equations, the performance and direct contact of a candidate with the people will also matter in tipping the electoral scales this time.
Ajmer traditionally has been a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bastion but Pilot broke this stranglehold in the last general poll and won by over 76,000 votes. However, the Congress lost in all eight assembly segments falling in the Ajmer Lok Sabha constituency during the state polls last year by over 1.92 lakh votes.
The dominant Rawat and Jat voters helped the BJP win in Ajmer.
However, in the redrawing of constituencies in the last Lok Sabha elections, the partly dominating Rawat belt of Beawar was merged into the Rajsamand Lok Sabha constituency and Dudhu assembly constituency of Jaipur was included in Ajmer in the delimitation process.
"This new equation helped Pilot to gain ground in Ajmer," said Roop Singh, a keen political watcher.
There are over 16 lakh voters in the Ajmer constituency. Of these, the STs and SCs dominate with 3.85 lakh, 2.10 lakh are Jats, 2 lakh Gujjars, 1.50 lakh Rawats, about 2.60 lakh Muslims, 1 lakh Rajputs, 1. 45 lakh Vaish and remaining are others.
"While the BJP hopes to get Jat, Vaish, Rawat and Brahmin votes, the Congress is banking on Muslim, Gujjar and SC/ST votes," Roop Singh said.
Pilot seems to be having a strong hold in Dudhu, Kishangarh, Kekeri and Pisangan belt of the district while Sanwar Jat has dominance in Bhinai, Nasirabad and even in Masuda block.
Last time, Pilot got an edge from Kekeri, Dudhu, Nasirabad and Pushkar. "I am fighting this election on the issue of development and going to people to choose right candidate for the future," said Pilot.
Sanwar Jat, meanwhile, said: "I will resolve problems of poor farmers and remain available for the common man."
"At least Sanwar Lal Jat has a house in our area, we can approach him. It is difficult for us to get in touch with Pilot," said Munni Devi, a voter from Bhinai.
"Pilot has got a clean image and he keeps regular touch with the people here," said Arjun Singh, a voter from Ajmer.
Who will finally emerge victorious is still difficult to say, but one thing is sure the election here is going to be a fight that everyone will be looking forward to.
Time PM walked the talk on religious freedom: Christian community
New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) The Delhi Catholic Archdiocese Tuesday said the Christian community was
Realme: The company launched the Q5 Carnival Edition in the market, gets a 50-megapixel camera
Realme Q5 Carnival Edition Launch: Realme has launched its Q5 Carnival Edition smartphone in Chin
Mufti Sayeed is Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister
Jammu, March 1 (IANS) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was sworn in
The Delhi government is working on a mission mode these days due to the third wave that has come
The controversy, which started from a degree college in Udupi, Karnataka, has now reached the Kar
Financial crisis and debt-ridden Pakistan, another mountain of trouble is about to break. Earlier
New Channel for World Cup Matches not Feasible, Prasar Bharti tells SC
New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS) National broadcaster Prasar Bharti Thursday told the Supreme Court tha
Maruti has delivered 1650 cars since the lockdown was relaxed, Hyundai 608
New Delhi
The functioning of auto companies is starting to get back on track. Gradually c
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is presiding over the second National Conference of Chief Secretarie
Mumbai Rain Updates: IMD's red alert in Mumbai even today, schools closed in Thane and Palghar
Mumbai Weather: Heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in Mumbai. The India Meteorological Departmen