Rajasthan 2024: Lok Sabha Advantage Boosts Congress, By-Elections Favor BJP

As the year 2024 draws to an end, it's time to reflect on two major election outcomes that have significantly shaped the politics of both the state and the nation.

We are discussing the Lok Sabha elections, held across 25 seats in two phases, and the Assembly by-elections. While the Lok Sabha election results from Rajasthan gave Congress and the INDIA bloc a reason to cheer, the Assembly by-polls later in the year favored the BJP, providing a boost for Bhajanlal Sharma's government.

Lok Sabha Elections on 25 Seats in Rajasthan

Voting for the 25 parliamentary seats was conducted in two phases on April 19 and April 26.

The BJP had dominated the previous elections in 2014 and 2018, and few believed Congress had any chance. However, the results were a shock for the BJP, which won only 14 seats. Congress, which had failed to secure any seats in the last two elections, emerged victorious on 8 seats. Alliance partners RLP and CPM each won one seat, while BAP, supported by Congress, also secured one seat.

A notable highlight was the switch by sitting BJP MP Rahul Kaswan to Congress after being denied a ticket. His victory in a Congress-held seat is believed to have impacted nearby constituencies, where the BJP suffered significant losses.

Rajkumar Roat, a dynamic leader from the tribal belt, won his first Lok Sabha election from Banswara-Dungarpur, defeating prominent regional leader Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, who had switched from Congress to BJP before the election. Roat was previously an MLA from the Chorangi assembly seat.

Another surprising win came from Comrade Amaram of CPI (M), a veteran who defeated sitting MP Sumedhanand Saraswati with the backing of the INDIA bloc.

These results gave a significant boost to Congress and the INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha. Congress, which had been unable to claim the Leader of Opposition (LoP) position due to a poor seat count in the last two elections, was finally able to increase its numbers. Rahul Gandhi became the Leader of Opposition, a significant achievement after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister.

These victories also revitalized Congress in the state, which had lost power in December 2023.

However, the loss of the Dausa Parliamentary seat continued to haunt the BJP. Senior leader and minister Dr. Kirodilal Meena claimed responsibility for the defeat, reportedly resigning from his ministerial post. The ambiguity surrounding his resignation became a topic of political debate.

Assembly By-Elections on 7 Seats

If the Lok Sabha election results lifted the opposition's spirits, the Assembly by-elections of November 2024 brought good news for the BJP and further strengthened CM Bhajanlal Sharma's governance model.

BJP retained the Salumber seat and won in Jhunjhunu, Ramgarh, and Deoli-Uniara. The biggest surprise came with the victory in Khinwsar, which had long been considered an impregnable stronghold of Hanuman Beniwal. Despite Beniwal fielding his wife, Kanika Beniwal, BJP’s Revantram Danga defeated her in a closely contested race.

However, the BJP's loss in Dausa weakened the position of cabinet minister Dr. Kirodilal Meena, as the party had fielded his brother, Jagmohan Meena, from the seat. Congress candidate Deendayal Bairwa emerged victorious, further eroding the BJP's position.

The year, which began with optimism for Congress due to a strong performance in the Lok Sabha polls, ended on a sour note with losses in the by-elections.