The issue of corruption has cast a long shadow over the political landscape of Rajasthan, significantly impacting public sentiment and influencing the electoral choices of voters.
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Findings from the Lokniti-CSDS study show that nearly three in five (57%) of voters believed that corruption in Rajasthan has increased over the last five years, while only one in every 10 (11% believed that it has remained the same, hinting towards its persistent presence in the minds of voters) (Table 1). When voters were asked about their discontent with the work done by the Ashok Gehlot government, interestingly, the increase in corruption was ranked as the third most disliked aspect of his governance: 14% expressed dissatisfaction over this following inflation (18%) and unemployment (16%).
In fact, nearly half the voters in Rajasthan also acknowledged that the issues of paper leaks (51%) and corruption (47%) greatly affected their voting decisions. This discontent seems to have impacted the voting pattern. Among those for whom these issues played a vital role in determining their vote choice, over half voted for the BJP, while the rest equally split their vote between the Congress and other parties (Table 2).
In short, the issue of corruption has undeniably weighed heavily on the Congress in Rajasthan. The public’s perception of a deteriorating situation, coupled with the electoral significance of corruption as a key voter concern, has had a tangible impact on the electoral outcome.