The two belong to the same Pushkarna Brahmin community that is dominant vote share on the seat.
An interesting contest is being played out in Bikaner West where 82 year old, two times sitting MLA is out to strike a third win. Giving him tough challenge is former minister and PCC chief B D Kalla. The two belong to the same Pushkarna Brahmin community that is dominant vote share on the seat.
Kalla faces challenges not just in the form of fighting an election, but largely those that have been created within the Congress. The goof up during ticket announcement resulted in the Mali community getting upset. Further a viral video of sloganeering and ensuing controversy served to put Kalla on the defensive and gave BJP an issue that is being raised concertedly.
Campaign for Gopal Joshi is largely being done by his family, but an aggressive widespread social media campaign has been launched for him. Songs with the IPL signature tune ask people to help him strike a hat trick. The constituency also sees strong undercurrent of the saffron propaganda and songs about building Ram Temple can be heard in the lanes and bylanes of the Bikaner West.
Damage control has been the priority of Congress candidate B D Kalla. Yashpal Gehlot, the man who was given ticket twice and subsequently lost both - has been campaigning with Kalla and seeking votes for the Congress. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot too stepped in to help Kalla by organising a rally in Bikaner and turn the votes of Mali community favourable towards Kalla and Congress. His campaign focuses on the development that he would bring to Bikaner. Youth and employment are key issue that he is raising and people are listening.
The contest on the Bikaner West seat is interesting and tough - this makes the seat crucial for both parties - as they are putting in all-out effort to form a government and every seat counts.
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 "BD Kalla, Gopal Joshi")
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