Surendra Pal Singh TT, who was made a minister in Rajasthan even before being elected as an MLA, on Monday lost the Assembly election to Congress rival, Rupinder Singh Kunnar by 11,283 votes from the Karanpur seat.
The BJP candidate was the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in Bhajan Lal's cabinet.
This is the first time in Rajasthan that a leader who became a minister before becoming an MLA has lost the election. The Assembly elections were held in November, but the election on Karanpur seat was postponed due to the death of the Congress candidate and the then MLA Gurmeet Singh Kunnar . The Congress then gave the ticket to his son, Rupinder Singh Kunnar.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasara, while congratulating Rupinder Singh Kunnar on the victory, said that this mandate was a "slap on the dictatorship of BJP".
At the same time, BJP state president C.P. Joshi said that he will review the reasons for the defeat. Kunnar got 94,761 votes and TT got 83,500 votes.
Counting was done on Monday at Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Government PG College. Voting on this seat was held on January 5. Even before winning the elections, this seat was in the news due to the appointment of BJP candidate Surendra Pal Singh TT as a minister in the new government.
The eyes of the entire state were fixed on this election result. Counting of votes was completed in 18 rounds. TT was ahead in the first two rounds, but started falling behind from the third round onwards.
After the defeat in the Assembly elections, the question is being raised is whether TT will remain a minister now or not?
According to rules, any Indian citizen can remain a minister for six months without becoming an MLA. TT has lost the Assembly elections, so there will be moral pressure on BJP and TT to leave the ministerial post, but legally he can remain a minister for six months.
At present, it has been only eight days since he became a minister. He had not even taken charge yet. Everything will depend on the BJP leadership whether it wants to retain TT as a minister or not.
After the death of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Kunnar, elections were not held on the Karanpur Assembly seat on November 25.
In Rajasthan, out of 200 Assembly seats, BJP won 115 seats, Congress 70 seats, BAP three, BSP two, RLD one, RLP one and independents have eight seats.
(With inputs from IANS)
