Vasundhara Raje/File Image
Even as rumours of infighting emerged from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the saffron party has remained staunch on keeping Vasundhara Raje as the party's chief ministerial candidate. Raje, who is the current chief minister, also served as the CM of the state from 2003 to 2008, and is also the first female chief minister in Rajasthan.
Raje, who was elected as an MLA four times and served as an MP six times, has been elected thrice from the Jhalrapatan seat. This time too, she will contest the forthcoming assembly election from the same constituency.
On the other hand, Congress has not disclosed its chief ministerial choice as part of its poll strategy, however, two faces continue to appear prominently--Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot--both representing two different generations of Indian politics.
Pilot had been toiling hard visiting almost all the assembly constituencies for the last two years. He has been giving Vasundhara Raje a tough time over local issues, much of which is showing in the opinion poll projections as well. He is the president of Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee.
Sachin Pilot, who is the son of Congress leader Rajesh Pilot, was first elected to the 14th Lok Sabha from the Dausa parliamentary constituency of Rajasthan in 2004. Often credited for working at the grassroot level, Pilot helped Congress revive the future of the state.
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot too is a silent worker, who is popular among the public. At present, he is Congress' national general secretary (organisations and training) who headed the party affairs for Gujarat previously. Considered close to Rahul Gandhi, Gehlot strengthened his position before the party chief while managing the campaign strategy in Gujarat. From 1998 to 2003 and from 2008 to 2013, Gehlot held the post of CM twice.
Vasundhara may fail to retain power as Congress likely to register big win; Sachin Pilot best CM choice
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Rajasthan led by Vasundhara Raje may be in for a severe drubbing in the December assembly elections, and the opposition Congress may be heading towards a comfortable majority, a pre-poll survey conducted for India TV by CNX predicts.
In the 200-seat Rajasthan Assembly, Congress may win 110 to 120 seats, while the BJP may win 70 to 80 seats. Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) may win 1 to 3 seats, while 'Others' may win 7 to 9 seats, says the pre-poll survey.
