Rajasthan's Danta constituency braces for possible face-off between a couple in upcoming assembly polls

In the forthcoming Assembly elections scheduled for November 25 in Rajasthan, the constituency of Danta in the state’s Ramgarh region is poised for a captivating political showdown. The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), hailing from Haryana, has announced Rita Chaudhary as its candidate, while the Congress is likely to renominate her husband, Virendra Singh, for the same constituency. Meanwhile, in Alwar’s Ramgarh constituency, the incumbent MLA, Shafia Zubair, was denied a ticket by the ruling Congress, which opted to field her husband, former legislator Zubair Khan, as the party’s representative. The Rajasthan Assembly elections are set to take place on November 25, with the results for the 200-member House slated for declaration on December 3. Virendra Singh, the son of former PCC chief and seven-time MLA Narayan Singh, has traditionally been affiliated with the Congress. However, his wife made a surprising move by joining the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) in August, subsequently becoming the state president of the party’s women’s wing. Notably, Chaudhary had previously sought a Congress ticket to contest the Danta Ramgarh constituency in the 2018 Assembly elections, but the party chose her husband as the candidate. Since then, she has diligently worked to bolster her political standing within the constituency. Chaudhary’s decision to join the JJP has garnered public support, with the party recently announcing her candidacy for the Danta Ramgarh seat. Expressing her confidence in victory, she emphasized her commitment to addressing issues of development, water problems, and unemployment among other concerns within the constituency. Chaudhary’s husband, Virendra Singh, anticipates a “direct fight” between them in the election. He emphasized his past contributions, such as establishing community health centers and schools, and plans to run on a platform centered on development. Virendra Singh secured the Congress ticket in 2018 after his father opted not to contest the elections. Danta Ramgarh, predominantly inhabited by Jat voters, lies in the agriculturally significant Shekhawati region. Former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was first elected from this constituency in 1951. Despite her renomination hopes being dashed, Shafia Zubair, the incumbent MLA from Ramgarh in Alwar, expressed her approval of the Congress’s decision to field her husband. She refrained from further commentary on being denied a ticket. One of her supporters, speaking anonymously, conveyed that while Zubair was hopeful of receiving a ticket due to her current position and dedication to the constituency, she is now actively supporting her husband’s campaign.