Nokha assembly constituency is one of the 200 assembly constituencies in Rajasthan state. It is a General category assembly seat. It is situated in Bikaner district and is one of the 8 assembly segments of Bikaner(SC) Parliament Seat.
The total number of Voters in the Nokha assembly as of the 2019 parliament election is 2,52,720. SC voters at Nokha assembly is approximately 54,006 which is around 21.37%. ST voters are approximately 227 which is around 0.09%.
Muslim voters are approximately 4,549 which is around 1.8% as per voter list analysis. Rural voters at Nokha assembly are approximately 210,389 which is around 83.25%, while urban voters are approximately 42,356 which is around 16.76%.
Sushila Dudi is a Congress candidate from Nokha, who was given a poll ticket after former Nokha MLA Rameshwar Dudi was hospitalised following a brain haemorrhage. Sushila has little experience in the field of politics but her husband Rameshwar Dudi has been a strong face of opposition in the constituency. Dudi won the 2013 assembly elections, however, in 2018, BJP’s Bihari Lal Bishnoi defeated Dudi and became the MLA of Nokha.
It is her first election, but Sushila Dudi is confident that the work done by her husband in the last few years and the commitment of party workers will help her win Nokha for the Congress in the November 25 Rajasthan assembly polls.
She has little experience in politics, but she believes the goodwill attached to her husband and the people’s love for him will help her fight against heavyweights — sitting BJP MLA Biharilal Bishnoi and Independent candidate Kanhaiya Lal Jhawar.
She said, “Rameshwar was the decision-maker for the Congress in Nokha and the ticket to fight the polls was given to me by the party considering public sentiment.”
Sushila added, “I have entered politics for the first time and I have no experience. My husband used to look after the (party’s) work in this constituency. He was responsible for all the work and decisions, but this time, considering the situation, I have been given a ticket to contest from here.”
“I will pay special attention to the problems faced by women. Women here want to be empowered in every possible way,” said Sushila, who has taken off her traditional ‘ghunghat’ (veil) to be among the people. “The electorate will make the right choice and it will be their victory,” said Sushila, whose husband is also the chairman of the Rajasthan State Agro Industries Development Board.
However, when BJP’s Bishnoi was asked about Sushila’s candidature, he said that no Congress candidate other than Rameshwar could garner votes. “Rameshwar Dudi’s wife is contesting against me because of his health condition.
I will always pray for his well-being. Previously, he was also in the race of ‘Would-be-CM’. He was also the leader of the opposition in the state assembly. Earlier, Rameshwar Dudi garnered a lot of votes from his supporters and won the polls but I don’t think anybody else will be able to do that, not even his wife,” he said.
Rameshwar’s health condition turned critical after he suffered a brain haemorrhage on August 27. Looking at his critical condition, he was shifted to the Medanta Hospital in Delhi-NCR on August 28.
When Sushila was asked about her husband’s health condition, Sushila said that she spent Diwali in the hospital in Delhi where Rameshwar was admitted. “I just came back from Delhi. I was there for my husband and spent Diwali there. However, the situation has given me a huge responsibility and I will not disappoint them.
There has been improvement in Rameshwar’s health and if I win the elections, he will take over after he recovers completely. Until then, I will do the work and make decisions as per the will of people,” she said.
Independent candidate Jhawar, who is considered to have a formidable presence in the constituency, refused to speak about Sushila’s candidature. “I’m just an Independent candidate and I don’t prefer commenting on other candidates.
Whoever the people elect, will become the MLA here,” he said.
The state will witness a direct contest between the incumbent Congress and the BJP on November 25. The result for the same will be declared on December 3.
POLITICAL HISTORY OF NOKHA
1951 Kan Singh Independent
1957 Rooparam Independent
1962 Rooparam Independent
1967 Chunni Lal Indalia Independent
1972 Chunni Lal Indalia Indian National Congress
1977 Uda Ram Hatila Janata Party
1980 Suraja Ram Indian National Congress
1985 Chunni Lal Indalia Lok Dal
1990 Chunni Lal Indalia Janata Dal
1993 Rewat Ram Panwar Bharatiya Janata Party
1998 Rewant Ram Panwar Indian National Congress
2003 Govind Ram Meghwal Bharatiya Janata Party
2008 Kanhaiya Lal Jhanwar Independent
2013 Rameshwar Lal Dudi Indian National Congress
2018 Bihari Lal Bishnoi Bharatiya Janata Party
CASTE COMPOSITION
Schedule Caste 21.37%
Schedule Tribe 0.09%
Muslim 1.8%