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By Jaykishan Sharma: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Sirohi, Rajasthan on May 10, marking his fifth visit to the state in eight months. The decision to visit the area is strategic, as Southern Rajasthan is a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
During his visit, PM Modi will deliver a message to voters in Karnataka, which votes on the same day. The BJP will also begin aggressive campaigning for the Rajasthan assembly elections on May 10, starting from Sirohi.
Rajasthan is going to polls later this year and the BJP’s focus currently is on strengthening its hold on the already strong seats in the area, with the weaker seats to follow, party sources told India Today.
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The BJP is planning to improve its position in areas where it is weak by correcting caste equations, they added.
“The reason for the meeting in Siorhi is that the party will start aggressive campaigning in Rajasthan on May 10 and PM Modi will also give a message to the voters of Karnataka,” a top BJP leader said on the condition of anonymity.
The impact of the Prime Minister’s visit will be felt in Sirohi, Jalore, and Pali districts, with the BJP looking to expand its reach to nearby areas – Udaipur, Beawar and Rajsamand — all within 100kms of Sirohi.
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“This is the reason that apart from Sirohi, Pali and Jalore, preparations are being made to gather crowds from nearby districts,” the BJP leader said.
Of the 26 assembly seats in Sirohi, Pali, Jalore, Udaipur and Rajsamand districts, the BJP holds 19, and it aims to expand its influence in the other three districts –Banswara, Dungarpur and Pratapgarh — of South Rajasthan, where it currently holds only three out of 11 seats.
The BJP’s position is strong in Pali, with five out of six Assembly seats currently held by the party. The Marwar Junction seat has an independent MLA Khushveer Singh, who contested the election by rebelling against the Congress.
In Sirohi, two out of three seats are held by the BJP, while in Jalore, four out of five seats are with the party. The Sirohi seat is held by Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha.
The Sanchore seat in Jalore is one that the BJP has been losing continuously for the last three elections. This time, the Congress is aiming to maintain its grip on Sanchore by declaring it as a district.
In Udaipur, six out of eight seats are held by the BJP, while in Rajsamand, two out of four seats are with the party.
Gulabchand Kataria, a senior BJP leader from Udaipur, has now been away from active politics after being made the Governor of Assam. This time, the BJP does not have a big local face in Udaipur.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Sirohi follows his visits to Abu Road, Banswara, Asind, and Dausa in the past year. Looking at the caste equations of the areas the PM visited, it is evident that the trips were planned to woo tribals, OBC, Gujjar-Meena and SC communities voters in these areas.
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