Rajasthan Bypolls Achieve Tentative Voter Turnout of 69.29% Amid Security Measures

A voter turnout of 69.29% was observed in the by-elections for seven assembly seats in Rajasthan, according to election officials. Voting took place from 7 am to 6 pm across Jhunjhunu, Dausa, Deoli-Uniara, Khinvsar, Chorasi, Salumber, and Ramgarh constituencies. The elections were conducted under tight security. Chief Electoral Officer Naveen Mahajan confirmed the tentative turnout figures.

In Deoli-Uniara, an incident occurred where independent candidate Naresh Meena allegedly slapped Amit Chaudhary, a sub-divisional officer on election duty. This altercation happened as Chaudhary tried to encourage voting amidst a local boycott. Meena, a Congress rebel, also grabbed Chaudhary's collar during the confrontation.

High Voter Turnout Recorded

Khinvsar recorded the highest voter turnout at 75.62%, followed closely by Ramgarh with 75.27%. Chorasi saw 74.1% participation, while Salumber had 67.01%. Jhunjhunu reported a turnout of 65.8%, Deoli-Uniara 65.1%, and Dausa 62.1%. The counting of votes is scheduled for November 23.

The by-elections are viewed as crucial for Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and BJP state president Madanlal Rathore. They aim to regain political ground after losing 11 out of 25 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. However, these bypolls will not affect the BJP government's stability in the state.

Political Dynamics and Challenges

The bypolls were necessitated by the deaths of Congress MLA Zubair Khan in Ramgarh and BJP MLA Amritlal Meena in Salumber. Additionally, five seats were vacated as their MLAs were elected to Parliament during the Lok Sabha polls. Various parties are contesting to maintain their influence in these regions.

In Khinvsar, Kanika Beniwal of Rashtriya Loktantrik Party is competing against BJP's Rewant Ram Danga and Congress's Ratan Chaudhary. Meanwhile, Jhunjhunu sees Congress candidate Amit Ola facing off against BJP's Rajendra Bhamboo and independent Rajendra Singh Gudha.

Local Issues and Boycotts

In Samravta village within Deoli-Uniara, residents declared a boycott due to administrative boundary issues. They demand inclusion in Uniara Tehsil instead of Nagar Fort Tehsil for proximity reasons. Despite this boycott, polling facilities remained accessible with adequate police presence ensuring order.

The tribal-dominated Chorasi seat is witnessing a close contest between BJP and Bharat Adivasi Party candidates. In both Deoli-Uniara and Dausa, BJP and Congress are locked in competition, with Congress rebel Naresh Meena adding complexity to the race.

Currently, Rajasthan's 200-seat assembly comprises 114 BJP MLAs, 65 from Congress, three from Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP), two from BSP, one from Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), and eight Independents.