ONI Bureau: As the Election Commission has announced bypoll dates for Lok Sabha constituencies of Alwar and Ajmer as well as Mandalgarh assembly seat of Rajasthan where polling will be held on January 29, hectic parleys have been witnessed in the state.
The BJP, which held all three seats, wants to retain those at any cost so that no wrong message goes to public. In addition, it would be an acid test for CM Vasundhara Raje. Victories in all three seats will help her stamp her authority on the party further.
BJP’s Ajmer MP Sanwar Lal Jat who had collapsed during a meeting of party MLAs and MPs with BJP chief Amit Shah in Jaipur on July 22, had passed away on August 9. In Alwar Lok Sabha seat, BJP MP Mahant Chand Nath had passed away on September 17 following a prolonged illness. BJP is confident of retaining both seats although no candidates have been finalised yet. Congress has already fielded Karan Singh Yadav for Alwar seat.
BJP’s Mandalgarh MLA Kirti Kumari passed away on August 28 of Swine Flu. The BJP would leave no stones unturned to retain all three seats. But, it won’t be easy for the party, as Congress is gaining strength in Rajasthan. CM Vasundhara Raje has been visiting these areas in the past two months and announced various sops to woo the voters.
Bypolls to West Bengal’s Uluberia parliamentary seat and Noapara Assembly seat will also be held simultaneously on January 29. Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Sultan Ahmed died on September 4 following a cardiac arrest. Congress MLA from Noapara Madhusudan Ghose died on August 18, 2017 after protracted illness. TMC would be looking forward to win both seats, while Congress would be aiming to retain Noapara.