Big Setback For Rajasthan BJP; Newly Appointed Minister Loses Karanpur Bypoll To Congress
The Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government in Rajasthan is facing major embarrassment as the BJP has lost the Karanpur assembly seat in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar district to Congress. Congress candidate Rupinder Singh Koonar has defeated the BJP”s Surender Pal Singh, who was recently inducted into the Rajasthan ministry.
The Congress candidate defeated the BJP’s Surenderpal Singh by a margin of 11.283 votes. As per the Election Commission data, Rupinder Singh Kooner gathered 94,950 votes, and Surender Pal Singh was able to get only 83,667 votes. The election for the Karanpur assembly seat was delayed following the demise of the Congress candidate and the incumbent MLA, Gurmeet Singh Koonar. The Congress had fielded Gurmeet Singh Koonar”s son, Rupinder Singh, as their candidate for the Karanpur seat. The Election Commission conducted the voting for the Karanpur seat on Friday, and an 81,38 percent voter turnout was registered in this by-election.
With this victory, Congress’s tally in the Rajasthan Assembly will rise to 70 from 69. On the other hand, the ruling BJP had won 115 Assembly seats. The BJP”s”surender Pal Singh was inducted as minister in the recent expansion of the Rajasthan government on December 30. The state cabinet expansion took place after a long delay. 22 ministers, including 12 cabinet ministers, took oath at the Raj Bhavan in Rajasthan”s Jaipur on December 30.
Notably, Congress had urged the Election Commission to disqualify the BJP’s Karanpur candidate, Surendra Pal Singh, from contesting the by-poll. The Congress claimed that the appointment of Surender Pal Singh as Rajasthan minister ahead of voting was a violation of the model of conduct. Surender Pal Singh was given four portfolios, including the Department of Minority Affairs and Waqf.
The stunning victory of Congress candidate Shri Rupinder Singh Kunnar in the ShriKaranpur by-election in Rajasthan — over a BJP candidate who had already been anointed as a Minister in the state cabinet — is a portent of things to come. Voters don’t like being taken for granted —…
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 8, 2024
Meanwhile, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that the “stunning victory” of Congress candidate over the Rajasthan minister in the Karanpur by-election “is a portent of things to come.” In an X post on January 8, Shashi Tharoor also added, “Voters don’t like being taken for granted — but can this arrogant ruling party ever understand that?”
श्रीकरणपुर में कांग्रेस प्रत्याशी श्री रुपिन्दर सिंह कुन्नर को जीत की हार्दिक बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएं। यह जीत स्व. गुरमीत सिंह कुन्नर के जनसेवा कार्यों को समर्पित है।
श्रीकरणपुर की जनता ने भारतीय जनता पार्टी के अभिमान को हराया है। चुनाव के बीच प्रत्याशी को मंत्री बनाकर आचार संहिता…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) January 8, 2024
Former Rajasthan CM and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot also extended congratulations to Rupinder Singh Kooner for defeating the BJP in the Karanpur by-election. “The people of Srikaranpur have defeated the pride of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” wrote Ashok Gelhot in Hindi in a post on X.
