Nationalism and patriotism reigned in over every other issue at all three rallies on Friday
With just three days for Rajasthan's second leg of polls on May 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, addressed three rallies in the border state of Rajasthan – in Sikar, Hindaun and Bikaner – where he met with equally responsive crowds, who turned up in thousands, braving the scorching heat.
Twelve of the 25 LS seats in the state are going to polls in the 5th phase on May 6. In 2014 LS elections, the BJP had won all 25 seats. This time the party is sanguine about repeating the 2014 performance despite losing the 2018 Assembly elections to Congress by a whisker.
But political observers say the party is facing a neck and neck battle with the Congress in at least five constituencies – Churu, Jhunjhunu, Bikaner, Sikar and Nagaur – which will vote in the ensuing phase.
Like UP and Bihar, caste matrix, coupled with social demographics, play a role here. The Gujjars, Rajputs, Meenas and Jats are the major castes which impact elections. "This election is completely different from the 2018 Assembly polls. The BJP will certainly repeat its 2014 performance riding on the Modi factor, which is getting a lot of traction," BJP general secretary Muralidhar Rao told DNA.
Ahead of his Rajasthan visit, PM Modi tweeted a short video clip of his last election rally in Jaipur in order to gauge the mood of the State. "It is clear that the state wants BJP," the PM wrote.
PM Modi has done multiple rallies in the state, and on Friday too, in all three rallies, his body language exuded extreme confidence. The crows too was enthusiastic, and throughout his speech could be seen chanting 'Modi Modi'. From nationalism to surgical strike, Modi lashed out at the Congress for its lapses.
"...there are people in the Congress who play video games at any age. And they may even consider surgical strike as a video game," PM Modi said in Sikar, where BJP's sitting MP Sumedhanand Saraswati is fighting a pitched battle with Congress' Subhash Maharia. "I'm hopeful of 2014 sort of support this time too," he said in Hindaun.
BJP national vice president and former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje was also present in the rally.
In Bikaner, PM Modi referred to his government's acquisition of property which belonged to people who had left for Pakistan during 1947 Partition. "The Congress govt did not acquire property of those who went to Pakistan after Partition. It was delayed for vote bank politics," he said.
In Bikaner LS seat, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is fighting his cousin Madan Gopal Meghwa, who is contesting in a Congress ticket.
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