Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Congress Candidates Go Missing in Banswara Amid Alliance Announcement with BAP

Udaipur- In a dramatic turn of events, political turmoil engulfed Banswara in Rajasthan as the Congress party found itself in a perplexing situation following its alliance announcement with the Bharatiya Adivasi Party (BAP).

The alliance, declared by Congress party's Lok Sabha Elections Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa via Twitter, sent shockwaves through the region, leaving many wondering about its implications.

The alliance decision was met with skepticism and confusion, particularly among Congress members.

Both Congress candidates, Arvind Damor for the Lok Sabha elections and Karpoor Singh for the Bagidaura Assembly by-election, remained unreachable and unyielding on Monday as it was the last day for withdrawal of nomination forms.

Despite pressure from the District and State Congress Committees, both candidates refrained from withdrawing their nominations and disappeared, switching off their phones since Sunday night.

Speculation ran rife in political circles, suggesting that Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, a BJP defector from Congress, and the BJP candidate from Banswara seat, had orchestrated the situation to benefit his party. The failure to withdraw nominations was seen as a strategic move that could potentially tilt the electoral balance in BJP's favor.

Congress leader Sukhjinder Randhawa made a significant announcement late Sunday night via his social media platform regarding the Congress-BAP alliance.

While mediation talks had been ongoing for several weeks, securing the alliance had proven challenging, primarily due to BAP's demand for five seats, which Congress had been hesitant to grant. Arvind Damor was eventually chosen as the Congress candidate and filed his nominations for the Banswara seat.

However, on Sunday, Randhawa declared Congress support to BAP which was hailed by the tribal party's workers. " In the upcoming elections, we will support the Bharatiya Adivasi Party candidate in the by-elections of Banswara Parliamentary constituency and Bagidora Legislative Assembly. Our primary objective is to save the Constitution and democracy of India." Randhawa's post read.

However, despite the strategic advantage that the alliance was poised to provide for both BAP and Congress, it was evident that BJP's Malviya stood to suffer losses, especially after recently leaving Congress to join BJP just last month. Rumors circulated that Malviya was the mastermind behind the disappearance of the Congress candidates, rendering them unreachable and untraceable.

Despite continuous efforts from the State Congress Committee, the candidates remained unreachable even to the Banswara District President Rameshchandra Pandya.

This fueled speculation within political circles, with many attributing the situation to alleged manipulation by Malviya. The belief was that Malviya orchestrated the scenario to favor BJP, leaving an indelible mark on the election dynamics.

BAP sources claimed that BJP candidate Mahendrajit Singh Malviya was pressurizing Congress candidates not to allow their nominations to be withdrawn.

BAP spokesperson Dr. Jitendra Meena took to social media to voice concerns about the disappearance of Congress candidates in the Bagidaura by-election since the previous night.

Moreover, the opposing stance of the Dungarpur District Congress Committee further complicated matters. While the State Congress Committee pushed for the withdrawal of nominations, the Dungarpur Committee adamantly resisted, stating their refusal to comply. This internal discord reflected the underlying tensions within the party.

Reports surfaced suggesting that Congress, for the first time in its history, refrained from fielding a candidate in its stronghold, Vagad. While seasoned leaders such as Pandya and Arjun Bamnia underscored the importance of forming an alliance with BAP, dissenting voices emerged from various factions within the party.

Overall, the alliance between BAP and Congress was initially perceived as a strategic move, with the potential to bolster BAP candidates' electoral prospects and expand the margin of victory. The decision-making process appeared to be guided by directives from the party high command, indicating a concerted effort to navigate the evolving political landscape.

However, the sudden disappearance of party candidates and the subsequent failure to withdraw nominations altered the dynamics of the situation. In effect, the votes garnered by Congress candidates could potentially be a setback for BAP, given their significant hold and influence in the region, particularly under the leadership of Rajkumar Roat.

Meanwhile, in a late evening development, the Congress party announced an oral six year expulsion on Damor for not complying with the party directions.

After the withdrawal deadline had passed, Arvind Damor made an appearance before the press, taking a firm stand against his party's decision. He declared that he had diligently followed the directives of his party when they asked him to contest the elections.

"I did not evade anyone, nor do I have any intention of backing down," he asserted. Damor elaborated on his active involvement in kickstarting his campaign, emphasizing his presence in the constituency, engaging with voters as instructed by his party. However, he expressed staunch opposition to his party's eleventh-hour decision to form an alliance with the BAP and subsequently request his withdrawal from the nomination. "This is a matter of my honor," he declared, affirming his determination to contest the polls with the symbol of his party, despite the circumstances.

Dr. Indrajeet Yadav, the Collector and Election Officer of Banswara, unveiled the final roster of candidates set to compete in the upcoming election. The contest will feature Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya from the BJP, Rajkumar Roat representing the BAP, and Arvind Damor carrying the Congress symbol, marking the culmination of a triangular battle. Addressing the press, Dr. Yadav emphasized that once allotted and submitted to the Election Commission, no alterations can be made to the assigned symbols.

He clarified that withdrawal of nomination stands as the sole recourse in such cases. Additionally, Dr. Yadav clarified the protocol for instances where multiple candidates submit forms with similar party symbols, stipulating that if the first candidate withdraws their form, the symbol is then allotted to the second candidate.