Rajasthan Elections: This time too, members of former royal families dominate Rajasthan. Both Congress and BJP expressed confidence
One of the facts of Rajasthan politics is that the political beliefs of the royal families have been changing according to the environment. After independence, these royal families were sometimes with the Swatantra Party, sometimes with the Jana Sangh or the BJP.
Even after the independence in the country, many times the power of the royal families has been in the hands of the democratic government. Even today, there are many members of the royal family, who hold power in the Lok Sabha and Assembly. At the same time, political parties have always played an important role in bringing these royal families forward. One of the facts of Rajasthan politics is that the political beliefs of the royal families have been changing according to the environment. After independence, these royal families were sometimes with the Swatantra Party, sometimes with the Jana Sangh or the BJP. He also supported the Congress and many members associated with the royal families reached Parliament and Assembly by winning elections on Congress tickets.
First, 28-year-old Raja Hanwant Singh Rathore of Jodhpur won the hearts of people across Marwar by leading his new political party Akhil Bharatiya Ramrajya Parishad in 1952 and already won around 30 out of 33 seats in the region in the state assembly elections. The same year Bikaner Raja Karni Singh Bahadur also entered Parliament by winning as an Independent candidate from Bikaner constituency. At the same time, Rajkumari of Narayan dynasty of Behar and Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur also contested the Lok Sabha elections in 1962 as an Swatantra Party candidate and was a three-time MP from this seat.
According to Mahavir Singh Sarwadi, a member of Rajput organisation Pratap Foundation, “The association of members of around 18 royal families of the state with major political parties has always played an important role in the constituency as most of them were successful. ‘ “People still hold members of the royal family in high esteem and believe that the king and queen are the only ones who will listen to their demands and make efforts to fulfil them,” he said. They can give them shelter. Not only this, in the political realm, there is always the key to the success of royal families. ‘
Bahadur, Rathore and Gayatri Devi made way for royal clans in the political realm after independence. After this, his descendants such as Vasundhara Raje, Siddhi Kumari, Diya Kumari and many others continued to carry forward the legacy. Like every election, political parties in Rajasthan about six members of the royal families have been fielded in the state assembly elections, Of these, five have been fielded by the BJP and one by the Congress.
Vasundhara Raje: Member of Dholpur royal family
Vasundhara Raje, daughter-in-law of the Dholpur royal family, became the CM of the state twice. She was a five-time MP from Jhalawar. His son Dushyant Singh has been contesting for the last two Lok Sabha elections. The faith of this family has always been with the BJP. Vasundhara Raje has also been an MLA from Dholpur. For the last two decades, Vasundhara Raje has been in charge of the BJP in Rajasthan. Whether the BJP is in power or in the opposition, the party’s decisions have been taken under the leadership of Vasundhara Raje. With Assembly elections due in Rajasthan later this year, Vasundhara Raje is expected to play an effective role in the state. After the defeat of BJP in Karnataka, there is a strong possibility of contesting elections under his leadership.
Diya Kumari: Princess of the Jaipur royal family
Gayatri Devi, a former rajmata of the Jaipur royal family, was an MP from the Swatantra Party. His son Colonel Bhawani Singh, a former Maharaja of the Jaipur royal family, contested on a Congress ticket in 1989 but lost. His daughter Diya Kumari is currently a BJP MP. Diya Kumari followed in the footsteps of her grandmother Rajmata Gayatri Devi and entered politics. Diya Kumari first became an MLA on a BJP ticket from Sawai Madhopur. He is currently a Lok Sabha MP from Rajsamand. In the 2019 elections, he won by a huge margin of 5,519,16 votes.
Ms. Siddhi Kumari: Princess of Bikaner.
Former Rajkumari Siddhi Kumari, granddaughter of former Maharaja Karni Singh, who was an MP from Bikaner for 25 years, has been a BJP MLA for three consecutive terms from Bikaner East seat since 2008. In 2018, Siddhi won the seat by defeating Congress’ Kanhaiya Jhanwar by just 3% votes. However, in the meantime, the Congress has fielded party veteran Yashpal Gehlot against him in the hope of breaking this trend.
Kalpana Devi: Queen of the Kota royal family.
Kalpana Devi is again in the fray from the Kota royal family. She is trying her luck again from Ladpur assembly constituency. In the last election, she won on a BJP ticket and this time too she is in the fight. She is facing a tough fight from the Congress candidate. Kalpana Devi’s father-in-law Brijraj Singh has also been a three-time MP from Jhalawar seat and Baba’s father-in-law Bhim Singh II was the last ruler of Kota and was also the vice-governor of the Rajasthan Union till 1956. In this way, the Kota royal family has been constantly taking interest in politics. Her husband Ijyaraj Singh has also been an MP from Kota. The only difference is that he won on a Congress ticket and Kalpana Devi won from the BJP and then he is contesting from the BJP.
Kunwar Vishwaraj Singh Mewar: Prince of Udaipur.
The erstwhile royal family of Udaipur is also contesting elections after 25 years. Vishwaraj Singh, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Mewar, is contesting for the first time from Mewar Nathdwara. Vishwaraj Singh is the BJP candidate. About three decades ago, Vishwaraj Singh’s father Mahendra Singh was active in politics. Now Vishwaraj Singh is contesting the election in front of Assembly Speaker CP Joshi.
Vishvendra Singh: King of Bharatpur royal family.
Vishvendra Singh, a two-time MP from Bharatpur royal family, is now in the Congress. He was an MP from Bharatpur in 1989 on a Janata Dal ticket and on a BJP ticket in 1999 and 2004. He is currently an MLA from the Congress party from the Dig-Kumher assembly seat. His uncle Mansingh was also an MLA and his daughter Krishnendra Kaur was a minister in the Vasundhara Raje government.
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