Sitting legislator from Sheo who quit BJP forces a change in seat distribution in Marwar
Sitting legislator from Sheo (Barmer), and former foreign affairs minister Jaswant Singh Jasol’s son, Manvendra Singh, who has broken his ties with the BJP, will be formally inducted into the Congress fold on Wednesday. His decision overhauls the Marwar (Western Rajasthan) politics irrevocably, with changes in both the Congress and the BJP beginning to reveal themselves.
Congress politics in Barmer has throughout been Jat centric. Rajputs have always been with the Opposition party. With Manvendra, a Rajput, joining Congress, the entire formula of seat allocation is being restructured in the Jodhpur division.
Sources in the Congress claim that Manvendra is joining the party on the condition that he would be fielded as a candidate from the Barmer-Jaisalmer parliamentary seat in the 2019 general elections. Manvendra has been a MP from the constituency in past and toed the BJP diktat to contest the assembly polls from Sheo in 2013.
The Barmer-jaisalmer constituency is the same seat which his father Jaswant Singh wished to contest on BJP ticket but was denied a chance by the party. Jaswant Singh had contested and lost the seat as an Independent in 2014. “By contesting the same seat, Manvendra wishes to bring his Swabhimaan campaign full circle by contesting the seat,” an aide of the former BJP MLA said. The ramification of his decision is being felt by the BJP. In the ongoing Mathan meetings of the BJP in Ranakpur, the impact of Manvendra’s move was discussed, including the impact it would have on the Rajput electorate.
However, the most visible impact of Manvendra’s switch to Congress is being felt by former Congress MP Harish Chaudhary. Chaudhary who is seen as a Ashok Gehlot loyalist has in the past contested as MP. “The party has offered him the Baytu assembly constituency as an option as Manvendra plans on contesting his seat,” a Congress office bearer said.
Baytu is a Jat-dominated constituency and is being seen as Chaudhary’s path to cabinet berth in the government in the event Congress returns to power in state. Several Jat leaders with BJP, including Narayanram Beda and former tourism minister Usha Punia, are said to be contemplating following on Manvendra’s footsteps.
Baytu For Harish
However, the most visible impact of Manvendra’s switch to Congress is being felt by former Congress MP Harish Chaudhary. Chaudhary who is seen as a Ashok Gehlot loyalist has in the past contested as MP. “The party has offered him the Baytu assembly constituency as an option as Manvendra plans on contesting his seat,” a Congress office bearer said. Several Jat leaders with BJP, including Narayanram Beda and former tourism minister Usha Punia, are said to be contemplating following on Manvendra’s footsteps.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Manvendra Singh")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}