Rajasthan has 200 legislative assembly seats, and one of them is Chhabra. This seat comes under the Baran district. Chhabra is situated at the southernmost tip of Rajasthan. The Parvati River, between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, determines its boundary. The people here are dependent on agriculture. Chhabra is also home to India’s famous garlic market. In addition to garlic, this region is known for opium cultivation. Chhabra has a thermal power plant where electricity is generated in six units, including two supercritical units. Currently, the seat is held by the BJP, and Pratap Singh Singhvi is the MLA from Chhabra.
In terms of the political history of this seat, Chhabra became a BJP stronghold in 1951. Since then, except for one time after 1952 when Congress won, the BJP has won this seat in 10 elections and by-elections. Former Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was elected as the MLA three times from this seat. In 1977, Prem Singh Singhvi of the Janata Party won, but later resigned for Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, leading to a by-election in which he was re-elected. In 1980, BJP’s Bhairon Singh Shekhawat received the public’s mandate. In 1985, BJP’s Pratap Singh became the MLA. After that, in the elections of 1990, 1993, 1998, and 2003, BJP’s Pratap Singh Singhvi won consecutively. In 2008, Congress’s Karan Singh won, but in the subsequent elections of 2013 and 2018, the public favoured BJP’s Pratap Singh Singhvi twice.
As for the demographics of the Chhabra assembly constituency, it has a total of 2,26,094 voters. The seat is reserved for the general category, with the highest number of voters from the ST community. There are around 35,000 Meena community voters, 33,000 Dhaakar community voters, and nearly 30,000 voters from the Bhil, Lodha, and Gurjar communities. Additionally, there are 8,000 Ahir community voters. Muslims also have an impact as voters in this constituency.
Addressing the issues of the Chhabra constituency, development is the most significant concern. Due to the Congress government in the state, the pace of development has been slow. People from Chhabra, situated about 70 kilometres away from the district headquarters, were demanding to make it a separate district, which has not been fulfilled. Basic amenities such as roads, electricity, and water are needed. The shortage of faculty in colleges and educational institutions is also a concern. The condition of roads in the villages has deteriorated. Despite having a powerhouse, residents of Chhabra still face electricity shortages.
MLA Pratap Singh Singhvi says that even after the Congress government, he has not left any stone unturned in the development of Chhabra. He has made efforts to carry out maximum development work, providing numerous benefits to the public in the last five years.
MLA Pratap Singh Singhvi mentions that during his tenure, the construction work of the Gugor Bridge on the Parvati River was carried out. Ambulances and other equipment were provided to hospitals in Chhabra and Cheepaodot from the MLA fund for the convenience of the people. He has worked on road construction and installing units in the thermal power plant during his term. The focus has been on providing employment to the youth in our region.