"You came on a bike. You must have seen the roads as you entered the city, right?" said Brijlal Kushwah, a local businessman in Rajasthan's Dholpur as we entered the city and stopped at a tea-stall.
The Quint was on a bike trip to cover the elections in Rajasthan. After getting stories from Jaipur, Tonk, and Sawai Madhopur, the fourth destination was Dholpur, the stronghold of former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vasundhara Raje.
Throughout the journey so far, bad roads were not a problem till we reached Dholpur.
"The roads, water supply, drainage — nothing has been done. This is a constituency of the royals but do you see anything that feels royal? The sitting MLA was severely corrupt," Brijlal said, referring to MLA Shobha Rani Kushwaha who switched to the Congress from the BJP just a month ago.
From her husband and former MLA BL Kushwaha being jailed in a murder case, being accused in chit funds fraud cases, allegations of corruption in zila parishad elections, and cross voting in Rajya Sabha elections — the list of controversies before her ouster from the saffron party in 2022 is long.
Interestingly, her prime opponent is her own brother-in-law, Dr Shivcharan Singh Kushwaha, who she defeated in 2018 as he contested on a Congress ticket. The third candidate in the fray is Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) heavyweight Ritesh Sharma.
But before moving on to what's the actual mood on ground, here's why the constituency is politically important:
The constituency is considered to be the home turf of Raje who was married to Hemant Singh of the Dholpur royal family. The duo had separated after a year of their marriage but Raje continues to command political dominance on the Dholpur seat.
The seat has been held by Raje herself from 1985-1990, followed by three-time CM and former Vice President of India, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
The seat has also been held by Congress heavyweight and former minister Banwari Lal Sharma five times.
Despite Raje's clout, the Congress won 3/4 seats in the Karauli-Dholpur Lok Sabha in 2018. The Dholpur seat has flipped between the Congress and the BJP for the past six decades.
The constituency is dominated by the Kushwaha community with over 42,000 votes, followed by Brahmins (40,000), Jatavs (34,000), and Muslims (26,000).
As Rajasthan braces for elections on 25 November, a closer look at Shobha Rani's uphill task this time and her prime challengers.
Dholpur: In Vasundhara Raje's Family Turf, Battle Revolves Around Another 'Rani'
1. 'Most Corrupt Candidates the Constituency Ever Saw'
Locals believe that Shobha Rani's battle will be the toughest of all three candidates.
Voters across the city and in the nearby villages blame her for the lack of development despite her being voted to power twice consecutively.
"Look at the streets in my village. There's no proper drainage, there's garbage everywhere. You don't need to talk to many people to see that nothing was done. You can see it for yourself," a farmer from Saipu said.
Along with roads, 24x7 electricity, uninterrupted water supply, and corruption in local administration remain the main issues of voters in the constituency.
Other than the anti-incumbency she is facing for her lack of development work, the sentiment of 'looting her own people' is common among the voters.
BL Kushwaha and Shobha Rani have been embroiled in the chit funds fraud cases for years before he was sentenced to life imprisonment in a 14-year-old murder case in 2016. He was an MLA from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) then.
In 2017, Raje got Shobha Rani and her supporters to join the BJP and fielded her as a candidate in the by-elections and the 2018 Assembly elections, both of which she won.
"People have not forgotten the chit funds issue. There are cases of cheating against the couple not just in Rajasthan but also in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra. There are also allegations that she took money from the Congress to alter the equations during the local body polls," said Umedi Lal Kushwaha, a community leader and BJP office bearer associated with the party for almost four decades.
Many in the region feel that Shobha Rani's candidature from the Congress was a reward for giving backdoor support to Gehlot during the 2020 rebellion by Sachin Pilot and cross-voting in the 2022 Rajya Sabha elections.
Shobha Rani cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections in favour of Congress’ Rajya Sabha candidate Vinod Tiwari instead of BJP's Ghanshayam Tiwari, a move which led to her expulsion from the BJP.
In May this year, Gehlot publicly praised Shobha Rani at an event, confirming rumours of her move to the Congress.
But despite the corruption allegations, chit fund cases, and clear signs of resentment among the voters against her, the Congress not only inducted her into the party officially in October this year but also fielded her as a candidate.
A member of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) from the region, on condition of anonymity, said that many in the local Congress unit were surprised, but not shocked.
"The family is undoubtedly a heavyweight in the region and from the Kushwaha community no matter what party they contest from. It has been proven electorally thrice so far. In 2013, BL Kushwaha won despite a Congress veteran and a five-time MLA like Banwari Lal Sharma against him. Despite his criminal antecedents and eventual imprisonment, the people voted heavily for his wife in 2017 and in 2018. Yes, there were far more deserving candidates already in the Congress, but it can't be said if they would have had the kind of impact and influence like that family has," he said.
In the 2017 bypolls, Shobha Rani won over 62% of the constituency's votes while in 2018, she got close to 48% of them, a feat even her husband could not achieve in 2013.
Expand2. Sidelining Raje: A Common Mistake by Shobha Rani and BJP
Most locals and office bearers of both BJP and Congress from the region feel that while sidelining Raje will cost the BJP at the state level, it has only boosted the empathy factor for her in the Dholpur region.
"They should not have sidelined somebody as big as Vasundhara ji. She doesn't really visit the region much but it is a known fact that she holds undeniable clout. Most within the local party unit and those who look up to Raje are unhappy with Shobha Rani's betrayal and backstabbing. So, this will only work in the favour of Shivcharan ji as people would want to ensure that a candidate with her approval stamp wins easily this time," a BJP functionary said.
"This is another factor that will go against Shobha Rani in the Dholpur seat," he added.
Despite Shobha Rani's clout, Shiv Charan did get over 32% votes in 2018. With Raje's support, the BJP machinery behind him, and a way cleaner image in comparison with Shobha Rani, he is believed to be on the front foot so far.
But despite Raje's clout, the local party unit was marred by infighting, sources said.
"Many believed that Raje and Gehlot keep having these small deals. But they were irked even more when Sachin Pilot led a rebellion in Manesar and Raje allegedly helped Gehlot save the government. That really created a rift in the local party unit," a BJP functionary associated with the party from Saipu village said.
Expand3. Battle of 'Garima' in Maharani's Turf
After Shobha Rani's exit, former BJP MLAs Shiv Ram Kushwaha and Abdul Ragir, both commanding significant number of Kushwaha and Muslim votes respectively, are believed to be upset.
Moreover, the presence of BSP's Ritesh Sharma, nephew of Congress veteran Banwari Lal Sharma, makes things more difficult for both the Congress and the BJP, as he is expected to split the votes of minorities and backward castes.
The fortunes also don't stack up in the BJP's favour in three other seats in the Dholpur district — Bari, Baseri, and Rajakheran. All three were bagged by the Congress in 2018 and the party still enjoys dominance given the work done by local candidates.
Giriraj Singh Malinga from the Bari Assembly seat is one such name.
"This region has always been dominated by the Congress and there will be a repeat of 2018 this time too," Singh said as we caught up with him on campaign trail in Bari.
Denying Raje's clout in the region, Singh said that unlike last time, the Congress will win Dholpur despite the 'jija-saali adla badli' (Shobha Rani and Shivcharan switching parties).
"She had corruption allegations and chit fund cases against her even when she contested from the BJP in the past. Didn't she win the elections back then? People change parties before elections. They also contest independently. Shobha Rani will win from the Congress this time. In Rajasthan, it all depends on the candidate's stature," he told The Quint.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)
Expand
'Most Corrupt Candidates the Constituency Ever Saw'
Locals believe that Shobha Rani's battle will be the toughest of all three candidates.
Voters across the city and in the nearby villages blame her for the lack of development despite her being voted to power twice consecutively.
"Look at the streets in my village. There's no proper drainage, there's garbage everywhere. You don't need to talk to many people to see that nothing was done. You can see it for yourself," a farmer from Saipu said.
Along with roads, 24x7 electricity, uninterrupted water supply, and corruption in local administration remain the main issues of voters in the constituency.
Other than the anti-incumbency she is facing for her lack of development work, the sentiment of 'looting her own people' is common among the voters.
BL Kushwaha and Shobha Rani have been embroiled in the chit funds fraud cases for years before he was sentenced to life imprisonment in a 14-year-old murder case in 2016. He was an MLA from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) then.
In 2017, Raje got Shobha Rani and her supporters to join the BJP and fielded her as a candidate in the by-elections and the 2018 Assembly elections, both of which she won.
"People have not forgotten the chit funds issue. There are cases of cheating against the couple not just in Rajasthan but also in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra. There are also allegations that she took money from the Congress to alter the equations during the local body polls," said Umedi Lal Kushwaha, a community leader and BJP office bearer associated with the party for almost four decades.
Many in the region feel that Shobha Rani's candidature from the Congress was a reward for giving backdoor support to Gehlot during the 2020 rebellion by Sachin Pilot and cross-voting in the 2022 Rajya Sabha elections.
Shobha Rani cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections in favour of Congress’ Rajya Sabha candidate Vinod Tiwari instead of BJP's Ghanshayam Tiwari, a move which led to her expulsion from the BJP.
In May this year, Gehlot publicly praised Shobha Rani at an event, confirming rumours of her move to the Congress.
But despite the corruption allegations, chit fund cases, and clear signs of resentment among the voters against her, the Congress not only inducted her into the party officially in October this year but also fielded her as a candidate.
A member of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) from the region, on condition of anonymity, said that many in the local Congress unit were surprised, but not shocked.
"The family is undoubtedly a heavyweight in the region and from the Kushwaha community no matter what party they contest from. It has been proven electorally thrice so far. In 2013, BL Kushwaha won despite a Congress veteran and a five-time MLA like Banwari Lal Sharma against him. Despite his criminal antecedents and eventual imprisonment, the people voted heavily for his wife in 2017 and in 2018. Yes, there were far more deserving candidates already in the Congress, but it can't be said if they would have had the kind of impact and influence like that family has," he said.
In the 2017 bypolls, Shobha Rani won over 62% of the constituency's votes while in 2018, she got close to 48% of them, a feat even her husband could not achieve in 2013.
Sidelining Raje: A Common Mistake by Shobha Rani and BJP
Most locals and office bearers of both BJP and Congress from the region feel that while sidelining Raje will cost the BJP at the state level, it has only boosted the empathy factor for her in the Dholpur region.
"They should not have sidelined somebody as big as Vasundhara ji. She doesn't really visit the region much but it is a known fact that she holds undeniable clout. Most within the local party unit and those who look up to Raje are unhappy with Shobha Rani's betrayal and backstabbing. So, this will only work in the favour of Shivcharan ji as people would want to ensure that a candidate with her approval stamp wins easily this time," a BJP functionary said.
"This is another factor that will go against Shobha Rani in the Dholpur seat," he added.
Despite Shobha Rani's clout, Shiv Charan did get over 32% votes in 2018. With Raje's support, the BJP machinery behind him, and a way cleaner image in comparison with Shobha Rani, he is believed to be on the front foot so far.
But despite Raje's clout, the local party unit was marred by infighting, sources said.
"Many believed that Raje and Gehlot keep having these small deals. But they were irked even more when Sachin Pilot led a rebellion in Manesar and Raje allegedly helped Gehlot save the government. That really created a rift in the local party unit," a BJP functionary associated with the party from Saipu village said.
Battle of 'Garima' in Maharani's Turf
After Shobha Rani's exit, former BJP MLAs Shiv Ram Kushwaha and Abdul Ragir, both commanding significant number of Kushwaha and Muslim votes respectively, are believed to be upset.
Moreover, the presence of BSP's Ritesh Sharma, nephew of Congress veteran Banwari Lal Sharma, makes things more difficult for both the Congress and the BJP, as he is expected to split the votes of minorities and backward castes.
The fortunes also don't stack up in the BJP's favour in three other seats in the Dholpur district — Bari, Baseri, and Rajakheran. All three were bagged by the Congress in 2018 and the party still enjoys dominance given the work done by local candidates.
Giriraj Singh Malinga from the Bari Assembly seat is one such name.
"This region has always been dominated by the Congress and there will be a repeat of 2018 this time too," Singh said as we caught up with him on campaign trail in Bari.
Denying Raje's clout in the region, Singh said that unlike last time, the Congress will win Dholpur despite the 'jija-saali adla badli' (Shobha Rani and Shivcharan switching parties).
"She had corruption allegations and chit fund cases against her even when she contested from the BJP in the past. Didn't she win the elections back then? People change parties before elections. They also contest independently. Shobha Rani will win from the Congress this time. In Rajasthan, it all depends on the candidate's stature," he told The Quint.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)