Setback for ruling BJP in Rajasthan, minister loses Assembly bypoll

Shubhadeep Choudhury

New Delhi, January 8

In a setback for the ruling BJP in Rajasthan, Congress candidate Rupinder Singh Kooner defeated BJP’s Surenderpal Singh in the Karanpur bypoll by a margin of 11,283 votes. Kooner secured 94,950 votes in the results declared today.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot congratulated Kooner for his victory in the byelection.

Pride takes a beating

The people have dented the pride of the BJP, which flouted the code of conduct and morality by making its candidate a minister before the bypoll. — Ashok Gehlot, former Rajasthan CM

In a statement, Gehlot said, “The people have dented the pride of the BJP. The public has taught a lesson to the party, which flouted the code of conduct and morality by making its candidate a minister during the bypoll.”

Despite being the BJP candidate for the Karanpur bypoll, Surenderpal Singh was appointed as a minister in the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led government in Rajasthan on December 30. He was given the portfolios of Agricultural Marketing, Indira Gandhi Canal and Minority Affairs. The Congress objected and said it was a violation of the code of conduct even as Surenderpal Singh assumed ministerial duties while still being a candidate for the Assembly bypoll.

Rajasthan went to the polls in 199 of the 200 Assembly seats on November 25 with the Karanpur constituency election postponed due to the untimely demise of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Kooner. The Congress fielded his son Rupinder Singh for the January 5 bypoll. According to the rules, Surendra Pal Singh has six months to get elected to the assembly after being inducted as a minister.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had emerged victorious in the Assembly elections by securing 115 seats out of 199.