Rajkumar Rott's Prestige at Stake in Chaurasi By-Election Battle
Gopendra Nath Bhatt
Kota : In the upcoming by-elections for seven seats in the Rajasthan Assembly, the political stature of several prominent leaders is at stake. Among them is MP Rajkumar Rott, a firebrand tribal leader from the *Bharat Adivasi Party* (BAP), whose reputation is on the line in his own assembly constituency, the Chaurasi seat in Dungarpur district of southern Rajasthan. Alongside other heavyweight leaders like BJP's Dr. Kirori Lal Meena and RLP's Hanuman Beniwal, Rajkumar Rott's performance in these elections is being closely watched.
Rajkumar Rott, over the past few years, has emerged as a hero for the tribal community, especially among the youth. He gained significant popularity and solidified his position by defeating two senior Congress leaders, former MPs Tarachand Bhogora and Mahendra Jeet Singh Malviya, in both the last Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. This victory helped him establish his dominance in the tribal-dominated region.
The Chaurasi Assembly seat, which borders Gujarat, has been under the control of Rajkumar Rott and his *Bharat Tribal Party* (BTP) and later the *BAP* for the last two elections. Historically, this seat was a Congress stronghold. It was only during the 1977 Janata wave and, except for a few exceptions, Congress dominated the seat until BJP claimed it for the first time in 1990. BJP had a notable win here in 1990 through Jeevram Katara, and in 2003, his son, Sushil Katara, won the seat. However, it was Rajkumar Rott who broke the Congress-BJP dominance in 2018 and 2023, first as a BTP candidate and later as a BAP candidate.
In the 2023 Assembly elections, Rajkumar Rott achieved a historic victory with a margin of 69,000 votes, marking the second-largest win in the state's voting history. His success has shifted the political dynamics of the region, particularly in Dungarpur and Udaipur's tribal belt.
Given his growing influence, the by-election for the Chaurasi seat has become crucial for the *BAP*. The seat became vacant after Rajkumar Rott, who was elected as the MP for Banswara-Dungarpur, moved to national politics. Now, the *BAP* is determined to retain the seat at any cost, while both the BJP and Congress are trying to make inroads into the tribal vote base. Both parties have long eyed this constituency but have failed to make significant inroads among the tribal electorate.
In this by-election, the primary contest is expected to be between *BAP*, *BJP*, and *Congress*. Voting will take place on 13th November, with 10 candidates, including independent ones, contesting. The key contenders are *BAP's* Anil Katara, *Congress's* Mahesh Rott, and *BJP's* Karilal Nannoma. These candidates are campaigning vigorously, holding multiple rallies in villages, urging voters to support them.
This by-election is more than just a contest for the Chaurasi seat; it has become a battle for dominance between the state's political heavyweights. The contest has become even more interesting due to the lack of support for *BAP* from the Congress-led INDIA alliance, unlike in the general elections.
With all eyes on this hot seat in southern Rajasthan, the question remains: Will *BAP* succeed in maintaining its stronghold, and will Rajkumar Rott be able to preserve his reputation and political stature in the face of fierce competition? Only time will tell.
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