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Journalism of Courage
The BJP office is almost deserted. Ask the few men lazing around as to what the netas are up to and they say: 8216;8216;Sarkar bana rahein hain They8217;re forming the government.8217;8217; Ditto for the Congress which suddenly finds itself on a sticky wicket.
On the surface, there is an unsettling calm. A day after around 60 per cent of Rajasthan8217;s voters cast their ballot, there is an ominous calm at the BJP and Congress offices. The only political voices being heard in Jaipur are those of allegations and demands for repolling. While the BSP is complaining about how Dalit women were not allowed to exercise their franchise in Neem Ka Thana, there are others who are grumbling about not finding their names on the voters8217; lists.
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Tension in Rajasthan town after poll violence
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JAIPUR: Tension has gripped the Meo-dominated town of Kama in Rajasthan8217;s Bharatpur district following poll-related violence in which a presiding officer was beaten up allegedly by a relative of a Congress minister on Monday, Additional Director-General of Police S.N. Jairath said on Tuesday. In retaliation, members of Hindu community challenged the mob of Meo community Muslims leading to communal tension, which was contained immediately. Prohibitory orders were promulgated and two companies of BSF and one of Rajasthan Armed Constabulary, rushed from Jaipur, have been deployed in the town to maintain law and order situation, he said. Agencies |
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But away from all the bickering, hectic parlaying is on behind closed doors. Post-poll speculation has been replaced by hard facts and data scrutiny. Behind the confident face of incumbent Ashok Gehlot is a frantic attempt to shake off the bogey of the exit polls. Gehlot spent his entire day at home, poring over data collected from various sources, while his aides worked out a list of Independent candidates who are likely to win and could be future allies.
At the Congress office media cell, everyone is busy rubbishing the exit polls, propounding their own theories about their validity. But at the Gehlot residence, they are taking every number seriously.
The top brass wouldn8217;t admit it but Congress workers are a bit rattled. 8216;8216;It looks like it8217;s going to be a close call,8217;8217; admits one. 8216;8216;But we will still manage to form the government.8217;8217;
Suddenly, party workers are talking about the Jat factor, unhappy government employees and anti-incumbency. Gehlot8217;s confidence that 8216;8216;pro-incumbency8217;8217; is working in his favour is suddenly being questioned.
Down the road, at the BJP office, jokes are doing the round. Every visitor is invited to pitch in with his or her favourite election anecdote. The mood is generally upbeat. 8216;8216;We are determined and charged up,8217;8217; says BJP Mahila Morcha8217;s Saroj Kanwar who campaigned in Dudu. 8216;8216;Our aim was to put up a tough fight and initial reports indicate that we8217;ve done better than that.8217;8217;
The only man scurrying around is BJP vice-president Onkar Singh Lakhawat. Besides keeping a tab on the repolling booths, he is also busy 8216;8216;making the government8217;8217;.
8216;8216;The process of identifying and wooing Independent candidates who are likely to win is already underway,8217;8217; confesses a BJP worker. 8216;8216;Luckily for us, we are good at it and hence have an advantage.8217;8217;
But even here, the tone is cautious. They may be talking about ghee-shakar but the laddoos are still on hold. 8216;8216;Right now the news is only worth ghee-shakar,8217;8217; they joke. 8216;8216;The laddoos will have to wait till December 4.8217;8217;
