February 23, 1998

Jaswant Singh
BJP

Chittorgarh  Rajasthan
Electorate: 12.3 lakh
Main Rival: Udaylal Anjana (Congress)

To his voters, he is "Major sahib", the man destined to become finance minister. To his rarefied BJP colleagues, Jaswant Singh, 60, is the "Field Marshal". It is easy to see why. While other aspirants sweat it out haggling with sundry pradhans, Singh remains wonderfully aloof. Whether addressing Muslims outside the masjid in Begun or lecturing an attentive gathering in Kanera, Singh looks at the big picture. Operational details are for the formidable party apparatus.

"Let us make a new start," he tells Muslims. "Become partners with the BJPp and see the results." To the saffron faithful he holds out a dream: "In the auspicious 51st year of Independence, let Atal Bihari hoist the flag from Red Fort." This is preceded by a sombre sermon on the cost of 18 months of uncertainty. "He talks just like he does on TV," says an awestruck woman.

Not quite. In the opium belt of Mewar, the "Field Marshal" addresses the front line directly, this time in the local dialect: "No finance minister before me or after me understood the opium issue. I do, because I was your representative. I will assure a fair price for opium." It is this hazy afterthought that ultimately matters in Chittorgarh.

-- Swapan Dasgupta

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