In Nathdwara, Maharana Pratap’s descendant beats Congress veteran CP Joshi in close fight

BJP’s Vishwaraj Singh Mewar, a member of erstwhile Mewar royal family who fought the election on his lineage, defeated outgoing speaker Joshi by 7,504 votes.

File photo of Vishwaraj Singh Mewar | X @Teamvishwaraj

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and Maharana Pratap’s descendant Vishwaraj Singh Sunday triumphed over veteran Congress leader and outgoing assembly speaker in a tightly contested race to the Nathdwara seat in southern Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district.

A member of the erstwhile Mewar royal family, Vishwaraj Singh, whose pitch to voters was his lineage, won by 7,504 votes, securing 94,950 votes against Joshi’s 87,446 at the end of 20 rounds of counting, Election Commission of India’s website shows.

Ahead of his political debut, Vishwaraj Singh had said that his family’s connect with locals and the BJP’s popularity would pave the way for his victory.

Rajputs reportedly make up about 30 percent and Brahmins about 15 percent of the electorate in Nathdwara.

By fielding Vishwaraj Singh, the BJP’s gambit to consolidate Rajput votes appeared to have found success. The Congress, on the other hand, was looking to rally Brahmins behind Joshi.

During his campaign, Joshi also highlighted the developmental work done in the constituency he has represented five times.

Nathdwara also has a significant OBC and tribal population which together form about 40 percent of the electorate. 

Besides Mewar and Joshi, the three other candidates in the fray in Nathdwara were Babulal Salvi of the Bahujan Samaj Party and two Independents.

CP Joshi’s political legacy

President of the Rajasthan Congress, Joshi had led the party to victory in the 2008 assembly polls but lost his own seat by one vote. At the time, he was considered a frontrunner for the chief minister’s chair.

Joshi’s loss made way for Ashok Gehlot to take over as chief minister for a second time. 

In 2009, Joshi was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Bhilwara and also had a brief ministerial stint in the UPA-II administration.

(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)