The erstwhile royal family of Tonk has extended support to Congress candidate Sachin Pilot who is contesting the upcoming Assembly election from Tonk constituency in Rajasthan.
The titular nawab of Tonk, Aftab Ali Khan, urged the members of his clan to vote for Pilot. The family has a significant influence in the town but it is not politically involved.
The BJP has fielded Transport Minister Yoonus Khan, who is the party's only Muslim face in the elections, against Pilot on the Tonk seat.
"The future belongs to youths and .we are with Pilot. The public is wiser than any political leader and they know the ethos and problems of Tonk town. Pilot has represented Ajmer Lok sabha constituency and he too understands Tonk well," Khan said.
He said there was no industry in the town and education was also a problem. "I believe Pilot is the most suitable candidate for resolving these issues," Khan, who is the patron of Anjuman (society) Khandan-e-Amiria Tonk, said.
Anjuman is the official body of the clan which has 8,500 registered members.
Dominated by Muslims, Tonk is one of the keenly watched constituencies, where the Congress's state president and Yoonus Khan are pitted against each other in the election.