Jaipur: In a dramatic turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged victorious in the Rajasthan assembly elections, securing 115 out of the 199 seats where polls were conducted last week. The Congress, led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, faced a substantial setback, managing to secure only 68 seats. This outcome shattered the Congress’s hope of breaking the pattern of the incumbent party being voted out in the state every five years.
One of the most significant aspects of this electoral battle was the defeat of 17 out of 25 ministers in the Gehlot-led Congress government. Among the notable casualties was Govind Ram Meghwal, who not only served as a minister but also led the party’s campaign committee. Meghwal suffered a defeat at the hands of BJP’s Vishwanath Meghwal in Khajuwala, with a considerable margin of 17,374 votes.
The list of defeated Congress ministers includes Ramesh Chand Meena (Sapotra), Shale Mohammad (Pokaran), Bhanwar Singh Bhati (Kolayat), Shakuntala Rawat (Bansur), Vishvendra Singh (Deeg Kumher), and Udailal Anjana (Nimbahera). Each faced unique challenges in their respective constituencies, with losing margins ranging from 3,845 to 43,834 votes.
Prominent Congress leaders like Pratap Singh Khachariyawas (Civil Lines) and BD Kalla (Bikaner West) also faced electoral setbacks, with margins of 28,329 and 20,194 votes, respectively. Zahida Khan (Kaman) secured the third position after losing by 13,906 votes to her nearest rival.
Even Gehlot’s advisors were not immune to the electoral wave against the Congress. Sanyam Lodha (Sirohi), Rajkumar Sharma (Nawalgarh), Babu Lal Nagar (Dudu), Danish Abrar (Swaimadhopur), and former chief secretary Niranjan Arya (Sojat) all faced defeat in their respective constituencies.
However, amidst the Congress’s challenging circumstances, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot managed to secure victory in the Sardarpura seat with a comfortable margin of 26,396 votes, defeating BJP’s Mahendra Rathore. Gehlot, a seasoned politician, had previously won the same seat in the 2018 assembly elections with an even more substantial margin of 45,597 votes.
Some other Congress leaders who managed to secure victories include Ashok Chandna (Hindoli), whose winning margin increased from 30,541 in 2018 to an impressive 45,004 votes. Shanti Dhariwal secured the Kota North seat with a narrow margin of 2,486 votes.
In the BJP’s successful campaign, leaders like Brajendra Ola (Jhunjhunu), Murari Lal Meena (Dausa), Arjun Singh Bamaniya (Banswara), Tikaram Jully (Alwar Rural), and Mahendra Jeet Singh Malviya (Bagidora) emerged victorious. Additionally, RLD’s Subhash Garg successfully retained Bharatpur.
The outcome of these elections reflects not only a shift in political power but also raises questions about the future trajectory of the Congress party in Rajasthan. The significant number of ministerial defeats signals a potential internal reckoning for the party, prompting a need for strategic reassessment and revitalization.
As the BJP celebrates its return to power in Rajasthan, the Congress faces the challenging task of regrouping and redefining its approach to regain the trust of the electorate. The electoral landscape in Rajasthan has once again demonstrated the volatile nature of political dynamics, leaving both parties with crucial lessons to learn for future campaigns.