New Delhi: Rajasthan’s state assembly has had a strange electoral history. The Congress was victorious in the first five elections and Mohan Lal Sukhadia remained the chief minister for 17 years. The Emergency threw the state into turmoil and power was shared between the Congress and the Janta Dal. Since 1993, the voters have oscillated between the BJP and the Congress.
In 2018, both Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot are seeking a third term as the chief minister. However, Gehlot could be passed over for the top job in favour of Sachin Pilot, the state’s Congress unit. While Raje claims that she has ensured unprecedented development in the state, the Congress says that hate crimes and unemployment have risen under her leadership.
The Wire looks back at the state’s political history and the different factors at play.
Timeline prepared by Mallika Khanna.