Manvendra against Maharani make it a star war in Rajasthan

The battle of Rajasthan has become interesting after Congress announced its second list of 32 candidates in Rajasthan.

The list also includes former BJP MLA and son of former senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh who has recently joined Congress. Manvendra Singh has been fielded from Jhalrapatan against Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje. Earlier there was speculation that instead of Manvendra, his wife Chitra Singh might be fielded against Raje. But with Manvendra taking the plunge himself suggests Congress is in no mood to give a walk over to Raje.

The reason for Congress fielding Manvendra Singh is that Jhalrapatan has sizeable Rajput voters and Manvendra's family has lot of respect among Rajputs of the state. Especially after his father and former union minister Jaswant Singh was not given ticket from Barmer and he contested as an independent. The Rajput community is angry with Raje government for a number of reasons and Congress is trying to cash on the anger.


Raje has been Jhalrapatan since 2003 and at that time Congress has fielded Rama Pilot, mother of current Congress president Sachin Pilot. In 2013, Congress fielded a women Rajput candidate Meenakshi Chandrawat hoping to get some Rajput votes. But she had lost the seat by around 54,000 votes.

Jhalrapatan comes under Jhalawar Lok Sabha seat which is currently held by Dushyant Singh, son of Raje.