Cong, BJP field ex-babus in Bassi that tends to elect independents

Bassi, a constituency reserved for the scheduled tribe candidates, is poised for a poll battle between two former bureaucrats. Former Indian Police Service (IPS) official Laxman Meena, the Congress nominee, is pitted against retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) official Chandramohan Meena, the BJP candidate. Laxman, now a veteran politician, is the sitting independent MLA, while Chandramohan is facing electoral politics for the first time.

The constituency in Jaipur's backyard has been electing independent candidates for the last three assembly elections. The state's key political parties need to study if their ideologies and policies make any difference to voters in this constituency, which seem to support candidates who can address local problems rather than flash party symbols.

Laxman contested from the same seat on a Congress ticket in 2013 also but finished third. In 2018, he contested as an independent ticket and won. This time he is again a Congress nominee and has his own logic on why he is the favourite.

"Apart from a few occasions, Bassi has a history of electing independents or candidates from lesser-known parties as MLAs. This is because here candidates win owing to negative votes cast against opponents, especially from Congress and BJP. After years, this time would be an exception because I, as a Congress candidate, do not have any anti-incumbency factor, nor there is any caste revolt against me," said Laxman, the former IPS who took voluntary retirement in April 2009.

Laxman added, "You cannot drive away the IPS vs IAS factor in Bassi this time. When Congress gave me the ticket, BJP needed another Meena who had a social stature. There could not have been a better option than a retired IAS official from our caste. So, in one way, it is because of me that Chandramohan got a party ticket."

In the saffron camp, ex-IAS Chandramohan looked quite relaxed during his election campaign in the Bassi villages. He is reluctant to term the election as a battle against former IAS and retired IPS. To him, it is just an election and two candidates representing two different political parties.

"Don't consider me as a dark horse. I am also a favourite. People would vote for BJP because of the massive corruption under the Congress government in the past five years. I am sure I am going to make it in the first attempt itself," said Chandramohan, who retired in April 2014.

Besides being bureaucrats from the same community and same seat Laxman and Chandramohan share a couple of more common things. Both studied in the same school and same college. When 1980-batch officer Chandramohan was Jalore collector from 1988 to 1990, the 1982-batch officer Laxman was the district SP there. When Chandramohan became Bikaner divisional commissioner from 2000 to 2002, Laxman was appointed the Bikaner range IGP. After retirement Laxman has been an MLA from Bassi, will Chandramohan also be a lawmaker from here?

Going by the constituency's last three election results, independent candidates like ex-MLA Anju Devi Dhanka and BJP rebel Jitendra Meena, among others, cannot be underestimated. BSP candidate Magan Chand Meena and RLP candidate Suresh Kumar also are in the fray from here.


Explore the yearly horoscope 2025 for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces zodiac signs. Spread love this holiday season with these New Year wishes, messages and quotes.