Jodhpur: Rajasthan and Royalty go hand in hand. And to win the Jodhpur seat, the Congress is banking on royal charisma; it's fielded the sister of Gaj Singh, the head of Jodhpur's princely family.
Besides eyeing 3 lac Rajput voters in Jodhpur, the Congress hopes the alliance with the royals will dramatically change political equations in west Rajasthan.
Jodhpur's royal daughter Chandresh Kumari was seen braving the desert heat to woo votes. Though she's lived in Himachal Pradesh since her marriage 30 years ago, she resents the outsider tag on her and claims people's bond with the Jodhpur royal family for generations will be her winning card.
"My grandfather and my father have done a lot of work here. We've always had a close bond with people here. I don't think people here who are like family can call a daughter like me as an outsider. They regard me as their own, call me whenever they need me and that's why I'm contesting here," she said.
Ironically, Chandresh's brother Gaj Singh has supported the BJP and opposed Ashok Gehlot for years. As a result, the Rajput votebank, crucial in Gehlot's home district deserted the Congress, where the BJP holds 6 of the 8 Assembly seats.
But now, their tones have taken a U-turn.
"She's my sister and we all trust her. Her feelings to serve the people and her abilities have made me come out in open support," said Gaj Singh.
But despite hitching up with the Royals, the Congress faces a tough task, as the BJP candidate Jaswant Singh Vishnoi is a commoner who's won this seat 4 times.
Fielding a royal is Ashok Gehlot's attempt to encash the feudal loyalties that still run deep here. But the big question is will that be enough for a Congress victory in the Chief Minister's home turf that's turned into a BJP bastion in recent elections?