New Delhi: BJP leader Surenderpal Singh, who took oath as a minister in Rajasthan even before winning his assembly seat, has ironically lost to his rival Congress candidate Rupinder Singh Kooner by 11,200 votes in Karanpur constituency.
This seat did not go to polls with the other 199 on 25 November due to the demise of Congress candidate and then MLA Gurmeet Singh Kooner. Rupinder is the late leader’s son.
Congress’s win in Karanpur — where polls were held later on 5 January — takes the BJP-Congress tally to 115-70 in Rajasthan, which has a total of 200 seats.
Though the result will have no bearing on the current Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government, the loss is politically being considered as a “big upset” before the Lok Sabha elections.
Surenderpal, who took oath as minister on 30 December, was also allotted the agricultural marketing, Indira Gandhi canal and minority affairs portfolios.
His induction was challenged by the Congress as a violation of the model code of conduct.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who along with senior leader Sachin Pilot campaigned for Rupinder Singh, said Monday that the people had taught the BJP a lesson.
He congratulated Rupinder Singh in a post on X, saying: “This victory is dedicated to the public service of Late Gurmeet Singh. The people of Sri Karanpur have defeated the (abhimaan) pride of Bharatiya Janata Party. The public has taught a lesson to the BJP, which flouted the code of conduct and morality by making its candidate a minister during the elections.”
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also took a dig at the BJP after the results were declared on the Election Commission of India website Monday. He said the BJP, “in its arrogance”, made a mockery of the code of conduct in Karanpur by jumping the gun.
“The people of Karanpur have given a befitting reply to the arrogance of the BJP. Congress candidate Shri Rupinder Singh Kooner has won from there. The arrogant leaders of BJP will have to understand that even if they make someone a ‘minister’, it is the people who make them ‘people’s representatives’,” Ramesh said.
The BJP tried to downplay the result, saying the Congress candidate won due to a sympathy wave triggered by his father’s death.
Rajasthan BJP spokesperson Laxmikant Bhardwaj pointed out that the vote share of the BJP had increased in the constituency while that of the Congress’s had gone down since the last polls. Bhardwaj also said the AAP candidate contesting from the seat had managed to help the Congress.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.