India
Bjp: Mewar royal family’s connect with people will help BJP win Nathdwara: Vishvaraj Singh | India News
[ad_1]
JAIPUR: The erstwhile Mewar royal family’s connect with the people over centuries and the BJP’s popularity will ensure its victory in Nathdwara, says Vishvaraj Singh Mewar, who is making his electoral debut with the party fielding him against seasoned Congressleader CP Joshi for the Rajasthan polls. Joshi, the sitting MLA of Nathdwara and speaker in the assembly, has represented the constituency in the House five times, and banks on the welfare schemes and development works of the Congress government in the state to win the November 25 elections.
The BJP, however, hopes to win the seat by showcasing the works of its government at the Centre and linking the electoral contest to the “pride of Mewar”, Vishvaraj Singh, a descendant of celebrated Mewar king and Rajput warrior Maharana Pratap.
Rajputs and Brahmins form a large part of the 2.35 lakh voters in the constituency, followed by electors from the OBC and tribal communities.
“Several people ask me about ‘Rajtantra’ and ‘Loktantra’. I have to say that the family has been there for around 1,500 years, which is a long time, and this can happen only when you are connected with the people,” Vishvaraj Singh told PTI after he filed his nomination papers for the elections on Friday.
He said that ‘Rajtantra’ (monarchy) and ‘Loktantra’ (democracy) are different forms of governance but the ultimate goal is to serve the people and carry out development.
“As far as democracy is concerned, my father Mahendra Singh has also been an MP, my maternal grandfather has also been MP. People from our family have been in politics. We have always met people… now the way has changed, earlier we used to meet in a ‘Rajtantra’, now we meet the public in a ‘Loktantra’,” Vishvaraj Singh said.
On his opponent Joshi, he said, “He (the Congress leader) has been in politics for many years, and as far as the challenge goes, this is the land of Srinathji and Haldighati and I am confident that the BJP will win here.”
Nathdwara is famous for the Srinathji temple that is visited by a large number of people.
Congress Rajsamand district president Hari Singh Rathore said that development works worth Rs 1,700 crore have been done in the Nathdwara constituency during the tenure of Joshi.
“This is the constituency where a large number of development works in every sector has been done. The party is confident of getting votes in the name of development,” Rathore said.
On the BJP fielding Vishvaraj Singh, he said, “The battle has always been tough in Nathdwara, but CP Joshi is a stalwart leader who has done many development works. The BJP candidate is from the erstwhile royal family whereas we are highlighting the development works done by the Congress.”
BJP Rajsamand district president Man Singh said that the Congress candidate is a senior leader but the Mewar family has great influence in the region and it will help the party in winning the seat.
“It is a hot seat and the contest is a question of pride for the people. The blood of Maharana Pratap runs through the veins of Kunwar Vishvaraj Singh. We are certainly going to win,” he said.
Rajsamand MP and a member of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family, Diya Kumari, who is contesting the assembly elections from Jaipur’s Vidhyadhar Nagar, is believed to have played an important role in bringing Vishvaraj Singh into the BJP.
He joined the BJP in Delhi on October 17 and was declared the party’s nominee from Nathdwara in the second candidate list issued on October 21.
Vishvaraj Singh said that when the leadership of the country (BJP government at the Centre) is capable and visionary, then it should be supported, and added this is why he joined the party.
His wife Mahima Kumari said that she has been visiting rural areas and meeting people, and they talk about the need to address their issues.
“They narrate their problems to us. They say that the benefits of the state government’s schemes and programmes are not reaching them. The situation under Congress rule is pathetic,” Kumari said. She said that drinking water is a major issue in the constituency.
Ravindra Singh, a local, said he believes that “it is our duty to support the member of this (royal) family which has had a great influence in the region”.
Countering Rathore, BJP leader CP Dhing alleged that corruption in development projects in Nathdwara is an issue. “Rampant corruption was there in development works and people know this,” he said.
In the 2008 assembly elections, the Nathdwara seat saw Joshi losing to BJP’s Kalyan Singh by a vote. In 2009, Joshi contested the Lok Sabha elections from Bhilwara and became a union minister in the Congress-led UPA government.
Vishvaraj Singh is the son of Mahendra Singh Mewar, who was elected as BJP MP from the Chittorgarh seat in 1989, and grandson of Bhagwat Singh Mewar, who was the titular ruler of the princely state of Udaipur or Mewar from 1955 until the Indian government abolished all royal titles in 1971.
Bhagwant Singh’s father Bhupal Singh was the ‘Raj Pramukh’ of Rajasthan from 1948 until his death in 1955. He was chosen as the ‘Raj Pramukh’ in the third stage (out of seven stages) of the integration of Rajasthan.
The BJP, however, hopes to win the seat by showcasing the works of its government at the Centre and linking the electoral contest to the “pride of Mewar”, Vishvaraj Singh, a descendant of celebrated Mewar king and Rajput warrior Maharana Pratap.
Rajputs and Brahmins form a large part of the 2.35 lakh voters in the constituency, followed by electors from the OBC and tribal communities.
“Several people ask me about ‘Rajtantra’ and ‘Loktantra’. I have to say that the family has been there for around 1,500 years, which is a long time, and this can happen only when you are connected with the people,” Vishvaraj Singh told PTI after he filed his nomination papers for the elections on Friday.
He said that ‘Rajtantra’ (monarchy) and ‘Loktantra’ (democracy) are different forms of governance but the ultimate goal is to serve the people and carry out development.
“As far as democracy is concerned, my father Mahendra Singh has also been an MP, my maternal grandfather has also been MP. People from our family have been in politics. We have always met people… now the way has changed, earlier we used to meet in a ‘Rajtantra’, now we meet the public in a ‘Loktantra’,” Vishvaraj Singh said.
On his opponent Joshi, he said, “He (the Congress leader) has been in politics for many years, and as far as the challenge goes, this is the land of Srinathji and Haldighati and I am confident that the BJP will win here.”
Nathdwara is famous for the Srinathji temple that is visited by a large number of people.
Congress Rajsamand district president Hari Singh Rathore said that development works worth Rs 1,700 crore have been done in the Nathdwara constituency during the tenure of Joshi.
“This is the constituency where a large number of development works in every sector has been done. The party is confident of getting votes in the name of development,” Rathore said.
On the BJP fielding Vishvaraj Singh, he said, “The battle has always been tough in Nathdwara, but CP Joshi is a stalwart leader who has done many development works. The BJP candidate is from the erstwhile royal family whereas we are highlighting the development works done by the Congress.”
BJP Rajsamand district president Man Singh said that the Congress candidate is a senior leader but the Mewar family has great influence in the region and it will help the party in winning the seat.
“It is a hot seat and the contest is a question of pride for the people. The blood of Maharana Pratap runs through the veins of Kunwar Vishvaraj Singh. We are certainly going to win,” he said.
Rajsamand MP and a member of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family, Diya Kumari, who is contesting the assembly elections from Jaipur’s Vidhyadhar Nagar, is believed to have played an important role in bringing Vishvaraj Singh into the BJP.
He joined the BJP in Delhi on October 17 and was declared the party’s nominee from Nathdwara in the second candidate list issued on October 21.
Vishvaraj Singh said that when the leadership of the country (BJP government at the Centre) is capable and visionary, then it should be supported, and added this is why he joined the party.
His wife Mahima Kumari said that she has been visiting rural areas and meeting people, and they talk about the need to address their issues.
“They narrate their problems to us. They say that the benefits of the state government’s schemes and programmes are not reaching them. The situation under Congress rule is pathetic,” Kumari said. She said that drinking water is a major issue in the constituency.
Ravindra Singh, a local, said he believes that “it is our duty to support the member of this (royal) family which has had a great influence in the region”.
Countering Rathore, BJP leader CP Dhing alleged that corruption in development projects in Nathdwara is an issue. “Rampant corruption was there in development works and people know this,” he said.
In the 2008 assembly elections, the Nathdwara seat saw Joshi losing to BJP’s Kalyan Singh by a vote. In 2009, Joshi contested the Lok Sabha elections from Bhilwara and became a union minister in the Congress-led UPA government.
Vishvaraj Singh is the son of Mahendra Singh Mewar, who was elected as BJP MP from the Chittorgarh seat in 1989, and grandson of Bhagwat Singh Mewar, who was the titular ruler of the princely state of Udaipur or Mewar from 1955 until the Indian government abolished all royal titles in 1971.
Bhagwant Singh’s father Bhupal Singh was the ‘Raj Pramukh’ of Rajasthan from 1948 until his death in 1955. He was chosen as the ‘Raj Pramukh’ in the third stage (out of seven stages) of the integration of Rajasthan.
#Bjp #Mewar #royal #familys #connect #people #BJP #win #Nathdwara #Vishvaraj #Singh #India #News
