The Rajasthan Bypolls held in Alwar, Ajmer, and Mandalgarh have made BJP closely monitor its defeat but at the same time the party is confident of bouncing back with full force. In a recent press conference by State BJP President Ashok Parnami, he stated that BJP is not a touch-me-not plant that can be harmed by a single touch; it’s a big tree.
For BJP, the elections have definitely turned out to be an eye opener but rather than lamenting over the loss, the time demands an analysis of the situation. In a democratic country where elections are more than just an event, there are several factors associated with the voters’ mindset. Factors like caste system, the religious sentiments, and principles of the local communities can largely affect the casting of votes. Vasundhara Raje
Nowadays even a Facebook post can cause havoc and create communal tensions and it’s hard to counter such sensitive issues when people can be affected by even virtual platforms. CM Vasundhara Raje
Just a few days before the bypolls, the state was mired by the controversial ban on Padmaavat and since the Supreme Court gave the film release a green signal, the state government had to oblige. This didn’t go down well with the Rajputs and it was speculated that many didn’t want BJP to win. After a few days the results were out and it became quite evident as to how an issue related to a film could affect the elections.
As the upcoming elections are due in December and the BJP-led Rajasthan government is about to complete its 5 year tenure, the party will have to act soon. The loss is huge yet bearable, given that the party still has the leadership of CM Vasundhara Raje.
Harsha Kumari Singh, an NDTV reporter, while narrating her experience of covering Raje on the campaign trail writes, “She has the ability to charm voters easily and with considerable warmth.” CM Vasundhara Raje
Despite losing its seats in the Assembly elections, BJP is banking upon CM Raje as she has been acting as the anchor for the party for a long time now. BJP may have lost all 3 seats in the bypolls in spite of the promotions, rallies, and efforts put in by the ruling government but it’s important to note that the same party had once won all 25 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. CM Vasundhara Raje
Also earlier in 2013, the assembly elections of Rajasthan, Raje chose most of the candidates from BJP. The current situation is critical and in such a scenario changing the leadership could pose a very high risk for the party. Evidently CM Raje has emerged as a leader who can’t be easily replaced, given the support she has had from the public and her fellow party workers. CM Vasundhara Raje
