The campaign trail for the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan has officially come to a close, with candidates making their final appeals to voters before the fate of 1863 contenders on 199 assembly seats is sealed in EVM machines on November 25. Notably, elections will not be held for the Srikaranpur seat in Sriganga Nagar district, following the tragic demise of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Kinnar. With this, Congress is now contesting on 198 assembly seats after a pre-poll agreement with Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in Bharatpur district.
The concluding day saw leaders from various parties intensify their efforts to garner support through public meetings, road shows, press conferences, and social media interactions. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, concluding his campaign in Jodhpur, stopped his speech three minutes before the deadline, while RLP leader Hanuman Beniwal faced police intervention for exceeding the allotted time for his election meeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah made their final pitches in support of BJP candidates, emphasizing the need for a change in leadership. PM Modi, addressing the last public meeting in Devgarh, Rajsamand, declared the election as Modi versus Gehlot, asserting that Ashok Gehlot would not become Chief Minister again. He accused the Gandhi family of seeking revenge against Sachin Pilot for the death of Rajesh Pilot's son and raised issues like the Lal Diary, paper leaks, and alleged corruption cases against Congress.
In response, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi visited Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Jaipur, highlighting the achievements of the Gehlot government's Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Scheme. Rahul Gandhi attacked PM Modi on social media, contrasting the supportive initiatives of the Gehlot government with the alleged failures of the central government. Chief Minister Gehlot, in a press conference, vehemently responded to BJP and PM Modi's allegations, emphasizing that the people had faith in Congress and predicted a repeat government in Rajasthan.
The election campaign in Rajasthan witnessed a departure from the norm, with national leaders taking center stage. Now, as the state braces for voting, the question remains: how will these political maneuvers play out in the electoral landscape?"