Voting begins for Rajasthan assembly polls

Voting began in 199 out of 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan on Saturday after days of hectic campaigning by major political parties including the ruling Congress and BJP. Elections in the Karanpur constituency were adjourned due to the passing of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar. The polling began at 7 am and voters can cast their ballots until 6 pm. Adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful and fair elections. The ruling Congress is eyeing another term while the BJP is seeking to replace the Ashok Gehlot government, with the party banking on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prominent candidates in the fray include Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former CM Vasundhara Raje, former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot, Congress national spokesperson Gourav Vallabh, Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, Vishwaraj Singh Mewar, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, and Rajasthan LoP Rajendra Rathore. Many rebel candidates of BJP and Congress withdrew their names after persuasion. But still, around 45 rebel candidates from both parties are in the fray. These also include MLAs, former MLAs and party officials. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 3. BJP and Congress are engaged in an intense fight with both parties seeking to outdo each other in terms of poll promises. The role of smaller parties is also crucial. BSP has won seats in the state. Aam Aadmi Party is also in the fray. The smaller parties include the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, Bharatiya Adivasi Party, CPI-M, Jannayak Janata Party and Azad Samaj Party. Violence against women, paper leak scam, farmers’ suicides are some of the key issues that were highlighted by the opposition BJP to strike against the ruling Congress. CM Gehlot has reaffirmed that Congress will return to power, putting an end to the three-decade-old alternating government trend in the western state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his campaigning in the state hit out at the Congress leadership, accu