Cong pulls Rama Pilot out of poll hat

Just about 15 minutes before BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Vasundhara Raje could trumpet her way into the Jhalarapatan returning of...

Just about 15 minutes before BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Vasundhara Raje could trumpet her way into the Jhalarapatan returning officer’s room to file her nomination for the December 1 polls, the Congress sprang a surprise. Rama Pilot quietly walked in and filed her nomination against Raje, stealing the ‘‘Dholpur maharani’s’’ thunder.

In a move wrapped in total secrecy, Pilot, wife of the late Rajesh Pilot, unnerved Raje in her home constituency and suddenly, the battle for power in Jhalarapatan became a lot tougher for the BJP.

‘‘At 11.30 last night Ashok Gehlot called me and gave specific instructions,’’ recounts Mamta Sharma, the Congress candidate from Bundi. ‘‘I was asked to receive Ramaji at the station and take her to file the nomination. We did exactly as we were told.’’

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Accompanied by her son Sachin, Pilot reached the returning officer’s office on Friday morning, where Mohan Lal Rathod, who was supposed to be the Congress candidate, met her. He himself was informed about the change only when he was going to leave in a procession to file his nomination.

Pilot filed her nomination, accepted congratulations and as her cavalcade was leaving the office, Raje’s was entering, accompanied by Pramod Mahajan and Union Minister Shanawas Hussain. In the melee that followed Pilot’s nomination, Raje had to cancel her plans to file her nomination from the Pidawa seat also.

‘‘It is a political masterstroke,’’ says Congress spokesperson Raghu Sharma. ‘‘Vasundhara Raje was always nervous which is why she announced that she would fight from two seats. But we have managed to corner her on one seat.’’

BJP’s state vice-president Onkar Singh Lakhawat admits they had no clue about Pilot entering the fray but totally dismisses any thought of Raje losing. ‘‘So we didn’t know, but that doesn’t mean anything,’’ Lakhawat says. ‘‘The Congress has insulted its local workers by flying in a candidate from outside. She (Pilot) has never worked there, does not know any worker, how can she win? There is no doubt, Raje will win with a thumping majority.’’

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‘‘We fielded a local candidate against Gehlot, haven’t we,’’ Lakhawat asks. ‘‘And as far as the Pidawa seat is concerned, we thought it was better to give another candidate a chance to contest. So we have given our worker Kanhaiya Lal Pachchidar a ticket,’’ he adds, ignoring the fact that Raje had grandly announced her plans to file nominations from both seats on Thursday.

Meanwhile, admiring the Congress move, political watchers say that the party could not have found a better candidate than Pilot in the area, especially given the caste equations. In Jhalarapatan, Gujjars, her caste, have a 11 per cent representation. Then there are 12 per cent Muslims, 21 per cent scheduled castes and 12 per cent schedule tribes. The Congress considers them to be on their side and believes that if the Gujjar vote is consolidated, Raje will lose to Pilot.

While BJP workers say that the Gujjar factor will not impact Raje’s campaign, it is likely that Raje ropes in her daughter-in-law to woo the Gujjar voters.