Three ministers take Ajmer to political glory

JAIPUR: Ajmer is fast becoming a "blessed city" for politicians. Many MPs and MLAs are fulfilling their ambition as ministers. The latest addition is Sanwar Lal Jat, who became Union minister on Sunday.
This comes barely two weeks after city MLAs Vasudev Devnani and Anita Bhadel were included as ministers in Vasundhara Raje cabinet. With these inclusions, BJP is strengthening its position in Ajmer, which might make things difficult for PCC chief Sachin Pilot who was the MP and also minister from here.
The city, which had given seven out of eight assembly segments and defeated a senior Congress leader like Pilot in the Lok Sabha polls, was rewarded by both the state and Centre. The 12-centuries-old city saw two major developments soon after BJP formed its government at the Centre.
First was US president Barack Obama's assistance to develop Ajmer as a smart city during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to US. It had left city in a celebratory mode for days. Modi in his maiden budget accorded heritage city status to Ajmer which is known for the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddhin Chishty and Brahma Temple in Pushkar. Both the developments were seen as a bid to counter Pilot's biggest project for Ajmer 'slum-free city' and his efforts to get an airport in Kishangarh.
The inclusion of two MLAs with Independent charge has further strengthened the position of saffron party in the city. Devnani is heading education (primary and middle) and Bhadel is minister of state for women and child development. Both are likely to initiate several pilot schemes from Ajmer. Devnani had already announced to start Toilet Yojana in government schools from here.
Both the appointments, one from Sindhi and SC community, are concentrated in urban areas which drifted to Pilot in both 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Post delimitation in 2008, the caste matrix has changed with Jats emerging as single largest community here. The elevation of Sanwar Lal Jat is seen as a masterstroke to keep Jat votes in the BJP kitty.
Even during UPA-II, Ajmer was one of the hot favourites for initiating pilot projects ---free slum city, sewerage plant, e-mitra, computers in schools, internet connectivity for gram panchayats and educational institutes in Ajmer. During this period, city was connected to all major cities via road in the country.