Women hold key to Ajmer LS seat

India's skewed sex ratio notwithstanding, women voters will be key to deciding who represents this Lok Sabha constituency that houses one of the holiest pilgrim centres for Muslims.      

Ajmer founded in the 17th century by Raja Ajai Pal Chauhan has more than 700,000 women voters - just 49,000 less than their male counterparts who add up to 7,49,993.     

"The women electorate has always been the decisive factor here. Any candidate expecting to represent this place will have to take care of this reality," district Congress president Jasraj Jaipal said.      

As per the 2001 census data, the average female births per 1,000 males is 935 and the number is much lower in Rajasthan at 925.      The main political opponents in the electoral fray, Congress' Sachin Pilot and BJP's Kiran Maheshwari make a special mention of the women in their speeches.     

While Sachin asks women and young girls not to "disqualify" him because he is a male candidate and the BJP candidate a women, Maheshwari urges women to make sure that their family members vote for her.      

"Obviously the number of women electorates is huge here. They form a very important base of votes irrespective of the age group they are from," Pilot told PTI after an election rally.

"The women in this region are very educated and hence it shows that they are good electorate. Of course, their number is very important and their representation is also very necessary," Kiran Maheshwari said.      

Maheshwari, on her part, has made sure that she always takes along her trusted lieutenant and sitting Congress MLA from Ajmer (South) Anita Baghel with her.      

"Make me victorious with a thumping majority as you chose her (Baghel) above all others during the recent Assembly elections," Maheshwari asks the women electorate during her campaign.      

Workers of the Congress and the BJP say they have been asked to make sure that women are adequately represented in the campaign and rallies of both the contesting candidates.      

"It would be wonderful to see if the charm and youth of Sachin works with the women voters or the feeling of a fellow women contesting the elections makes them vote for Kiran Maheshwari," Krishna Maheshwari, a graduate and a first time voter from the city said.      

"I but, would not like to disclose about my vote," she said.