Western region decides nature of wind blow in R'than

The Congress party in Rajasthan may have won the recent assembly elections but that is not the way the winds are blowing ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Both the ruling as well as the Opposition in the state face different challenges.

While unemployment is the top concern in the state, the other key concerns include farmers' issues, water woes, development, access to better healthcare and drinking water.

Most of the issues are highlighted by both the Congress and the BJP in Rajasthan, which goes to polls in phase four on April 29.

As most of the voters are vocal about lack of livelihood opportunities, the state has witnessed in last few years.

However, while the people voted against the BJP in the 2018 Assembly elections but the sentiment was mostly an anti-Vasundhara Raje.

But when it comes to Lok Sabha, voters of the desert state accept Narendra Modi as the face of BJP in Rajasthan.

However one cannot ignore the fact that this time unlike 2014, there is no Modi wave in the state.

In the previous Lok Sabha polls, the BJP won all 25 seats in Rajasthan but later in 2018 bypolls, the saffron party lost Alwar and Ajmer to the Congress.

Both the Congress and the BJP have so far announced 19 candidates each— they are a mix of fresh faces and sitting MPs.

The BJP has so far announced no female candidates. It has given three seats to the Rajput community, who were unhappy with the party.

Similarly, the ticket distribution in Congress manages three female candidates but somehow misses out at the Brahmin community.

In the Congress, the tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot is delaying the announcement of the remaining six names.

In the BJP camp, it's once again the 'Vasundhara versus the central leadership' which is responsible for the delay.

The interesting point of this Lok Sabha elections is the entry of Ashok Gehlot's son, Vaibhav Gehlot.

Vaibhai (39) will be contesting from Jodhpur against Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (51), who is a close aide of BJP chief Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Moreover, senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra Singh, who joined the Congress five months ago, will be contesting from Barmer Lok Sabha seat.

The Western region of the desert state remains the political hot bed of Rajasthan.

Another interesting constituency will be Alwar, where former Union minister and Congress leader Jitendra Singh will fight against Mahant Baba Balaknath, a disciple of former Alwar MP late Chand Nath.

Congress had won the Alwar seat in 2018 bypolls and is yet again confident of a win.

Rajasthan: Total seats - 25
Congress - 02 (won in 2018 bypolls)
BJP - 23

In 2014 - BJP won all 25 seats
Congress was reduced to zero

Vote Share

BJP - 54.90%
Congress - 30 %

Prominent faces

BJP

Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore - Jaipur Rural

Dushyant Singh - Jhalawar

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat - Jodhpur

Congress

Vaibhav Gehlot - Jodhpur

Manvendra Singh - Barmer

Jitendra Singh - Alwar

Jyoti Khandelwal - Jaipur urban

Jyoti Mirdha - Nagore