Facing a tough challenge from his former party colleague Prahlad Gunjal, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has concentrated on mobilising the grassroots Bharatiya Janata Party workers (BJP) for the April 26 election in Rajasthan’s Kota Lok Sabha constituency, which also comprises two Assembly segments of the neighbouring Bundi district. Mr. Birla is vying for a third consecutive victory for the House he has been presiding over since 2019.
The entry of Mr. Gunjal — a Gujjar strongman who was twice elected an MLA from the BJP — as the Congress candidate has turned the electoral battle in Kota into a “clash of ego” between the two rivals. Mr. Gunjal, 63, joined the Congress in March while alleging that the BJP’s politics in Kota was dominated by “just one person”, and affirming that he wanted to maintain his self-respect.
Mr. Gunjal was also a staunch supporter of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. As Ms. Raje was sidelined by the BJP’s top leadership in its strategy to promote next generation leaders, the relations between her close confidant Mr. Gunjal and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-backed Mr. Birla turned increasingly bitter over the past few years.
