Rajasthan, India’s largest state by area, is in the throes of preparation for Assembly elections on November 25, set to determine the composition of its 16th Legislative Assembly. With 200 assembly constituencies at stake, both the BJP and Congress are actively vying for support from their respective voter bases.
Rajasthan is seen as a swing state, with power alternating between the BJP and Congress in each election cycle. However, this was not the case during the inaugural Assembly polls in 1952 when the Congress party held a dominant position in Rajasthan politics, which had 160 constituencies at that time.
In 1952, the Indian National Congress secured a significant victory, winning 82 seats with 12,86,953 votes, constituting 39.46 percent of the vote share. Hiralal Shastri became the first chief minister of Rajasthan. The Akhil Bharatiya Ram Rajya Parishad secured the second position with 24 seats and a 12.26 percent vote share, while the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, now known as the Bharatiya Janata Party, secured 8 seats with a 5.93 percent vote share. Independents played a pivotal role, winning 35 seats with a 27.49 percent vote share.
Over the years, the political landscape in Rajasthan has evolved. Traditionally considered a BJP stronghold, the state now faces a crucial electoral test for the incumbent Congress government led by Ashok Gehlot. Both the BJP and Congress have introduced various incentives to sway voters, creating an air of uncertainty around the election outcome.
The results of the Assembly polls are scheduled to be announced on December 3.