Farmers Movement Archive

Smaller parties to contest bypolls in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: The smaller parties — Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP), Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) — are all set to make the bypolls in Sahara, Rajsamand and Sujangarh interesting by fielding their candidates. The smaller parties may not appear to have a major impact in the polls, but can play a spoilsport for the BJP and Congress in case of a close contest. BTP MLA Rajkumar Roat said that they have finalised their candidate for Rajsamand, while they are holding deliberations on the other two seats. “I have been telling that both the Congress and the BJP will give tickets to the privileged kith and kin of the deceased MLAs. Our party will give tickets to fresh faces who doesn’t come from a dynasty,” said Roat. BJP’s Kiran Maheshwari won by a thumping margin of 30,000 votes in 2018 assembly polls. BTP was in alliance with the Congress and parted ways in November following differences with the latter. The party is hoping to make gains in its tribal votes which are insignificant, but can decide the victory or defeat of any candidate. Drifted away from the NDA alliance over its opposition to the farm laws, Hanuman Beniwal’s RLP has appointed elected coordinators on Monday. The party has deputed its Bhopalgarh MLA Pukhraj Garg as incharge of Rajsamand, Khinvsar MLA of Sahara and Merta MLA Indira Devi of Sujangarh. “The party will bet on the local leaders and is the only option for voters who don’t like to fall into the trap of BJP and the Congress,” said Ravindra Singh, national treasurer, RLP. Singh added that their party stands with the farmers. “The farmers’ issue has not subsided and it will turn the tables around for the party,” Singh said. Upbeat over the victory of some seats in local body polls, the SDPI is likely to contest from the Sahara seat in Bhilwara. The nominations will begin from March 23 and elections will take place on April 17.

The Times of India

2021-03-23

Jaipur