Ramgarh constituency in Rajasthan's Alwar district is all set to witness a triangular contest among candidates of ruling Congress, opposition BJP and BSP on Monday when polling takes place at 278 polling booths.
Election to the constituency could not be held along with other seats due to the death of BSP candidate Laxman Singh few days ahead of the polling on December 7 and now the election is taking place on January 28 where as many as 20 candidates are in the fray.
The BSP has fielded former union minister Natwar Singh's ex-MLA son Jagat Singh while former Alwar Zila Pramukh Shafia Zubair Khan is contesting as a Congress candidate. Former Pradhan Sukhwant singh is the BJP candidate.
Feedback from Ramgarh is very positive we are going to win the seat. People gave mandate to Congress in December 7 elections and the party will win this seat also, Pradesh Congress Committee president and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot told PTI.
Exuding confidence, the party candidate Shafia Zubair Khan, 51, said people were hopeful of development after the formation of the Congress government and therefore there is a positive atmosphere in favour of the party.
I am seeking vote in the name of development. Since Congress has formed the government, people are hopeful that their works will be done if they elect the Congress candidate and therefore I will certainly get the edge, Shafia, who was the Alwar Zila Pramukh from 2010-15, said.
She said the basic demands of people in the constituency were about a government college at Ramgarh, better roads among others.
BJP state president Madan Lal Saini also exuded confidence that BJP candidate will win the election because people are "not satisfied" with the performance of the Congress.
He said BSP candidate Jagat Singh will lose because it has been exposed that he was contesting only to defeat the BJP candidate.
Congress came to power on various promises made to farmers and youths. It had promised to waive off farmers loan within ten days but the government has not waived loans so far, Saini said.
Jagat Singh was the BJP candidate from Bharatpur's Kaman seat from 2013-18 but the party denied him ticket for the 2018 assembly elections. He was also Congress MLA in 2003-08 from Alwar's Laxmangarh seat.
BSP's state president Sitaram Meghwal said caste equations were in favour of the BSP and therefore the party will win the seat.
We held a road show on Saturday which received a very huge response. Caste equations are in favour and our tally in the assembly will increase from present 6 to 7 after the elections in Ramgarh, he said.
Congress, BJP and BSP held intense campaigning and rallies in the constituencies to woo voters. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot addressed a mass rally on Friday while BSP held a road show on Saturday.
There are 2.35 lakh voters, which included 1.10 lakh female voters, in the constituency where as many as 278 polling stations have been set up for the election, result of which will be announced on January 31.
In the December 7 elections, which were held on 199 out of 200 seats, Congress won 99 seats and one of its alliance partners- RLD- won one seat and the Congress formed government.
The BJP won 73 seats, BSP 6, RLPT 3, CPI (M) and BTP 2 each and 13 independents won the elections.
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