Tonk, a princely state ruled once by the Nawabs of Pashtun, has become hot seat in the Rajasthan state politics after Congress fielded its Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Sachin Pilot from the constituency. This is Pilot's maiden fight in the Assembly polls. He has, until now, contested on parliamentary seats in Dausa and Ajmer, both from Rajasthan.

Pilot, who is a frontrunner for the chief minister's post in state, has been looking for a seat that could bring him closer to the coveted post. He faces BJP's Ajit Mehta, a sitting legislator, in the contest on December 7. Poll mathematics aside, one of the reasons that helped swing the decision in Tonk's favour is Pilot's father-in-law and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah's close ties with the locals in Tonk.

"The Abdullahs are friends to several residents of Tonk, including a reputed Saudi family that wields a strong influence in the constituency," a source said. Whenever Abdullah senior visits Tonk he makes sure to call on the family.

Saeed Saudi, a member of Saudi family, was among the panel of contestants vying for a ticket from the seat. However, when Pilot expressed interest in the seat, he immediately agreed to withdraw his candidature. "After Pilot's name was finalised, local Congress leaders have started campaigning that their son-in-law is now contesting the seat," a party member said.

With fissures running deep within the BJP, the situation seems to be working in Pilot's favour. The saffron party has bet on Ajit Mehta, because of whom BJP's Tonk general secretary Mahaveer Sharma, along with other office bearers, resigned from the party. The split in the party may be advantageous for Pilot.

Harish Meena, a BJP MP who crossed over to the Congress a day ago, will also play a major role in Sachin's favour.