Jat Masala

In Rajasthan, every Jat is reading up, listening in and tuning into the political world. Every Jat village is arguing the merits and demerits of candidates fighting to win the political battlefield.

8220;We have only till November 28 to get our facts and figures right,8221; says 20-year-old Ramesh Prasad. On the 28th or 29th, across the Jat villages meetings will be held and we will decide the future of candidates. By the first, every Jat will be informed about whom to vote for.

It is this unified vote that makes the Jats politically more formidable than any other community. The Jats form about 12 per cent of the population in Rajasthan, almost equal to the Rajput representation. Yet, the hours political parties spend wooing them are much more.

8220;The biggest difference is that we vote,8221; says Prasad. 8220;In fact, my tractor will be busy ferrying Jat voters to the polling booths. Even old men are dragged out of their cots and made to vote. We think it is important and that is probably why everyone else thinks we are important.8221;

On the edge of Sikar district, described as the beginning of the Jat belt in Rajasthan, residents of Udaipuriya go about their business as usual on a crisp November morning. But each time two Jats cross each other, they stop and talk politics.

8220;We can8217;t help it,8221; says Madan Lal, grinning. 8220;We are Jats and we count. Everybody knows our importance.8221;

The Jats have always counted in Rajasthan. Everybody is out to woo the Jats, starting with the Indian National Lok Dal INLD, which is hoping to cash in on votes from their 8220;brothers8221;.

In its manifesto released in Jaipur on Monday, state president Ajay Singh Chautala has promised them 8220;the world8221; 8212; a chief minister. 8220;Till today the farmers of Rajasthan have not come to power in the state. It is the will of the people that the chief minister should be a farmer this time,8221; says Chautala, adding that by farmer he means a Jat.

But the Jats are not impressed. 8220;Earlier Chautala was very active here,8221; says Jagdish Prasad of Maher Khurd village. 8220;In the middle he was no where to be seen and now he has suddenly resurfaced. Our allegiance is with him but not necessarily our votes.

The Congress is also desperately trying to figure out the Jat mind. Traditionally considered to be Congress supporters, the indecisiveness of the Jats has unnerved the Congress leadership this time. Outside Suraj kirana store, the reasons for a nervous Congress are made clear.

8220;Electricity,8221; says Murli Dhar knowledgeably. 8220;The Gehlot government has made life very difficult on this front. Most of us invested upto Rs one lakh to get power connections under government schemes. We were promised at least eight hours of power, we don8217;t get it. Instead we get inflated bills.8221; And because they are upset with the Congress, the BJP is hoping to make the most of the situation. Their first success was in successfully wooing the Jat Mahasabha. Then they were very generous with giving Jat candidate tickets. And their final tool, projecting chief ministerial candidate Vasundhara Raje as a 8216;Jat bahu8217;.

Dhar finds it amusing. 8220;Everyone is looking for a connection. But we are politically smart and are able to see the big picture. We have always voted as a community and will do the same this time also.8221;