Dholpur by-election: BJP wins by a record margin
BJP candidate defeated her opponent by a record margin of 38,763 votes.
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BJP state president Ashok Parnami addressing media persons after Dholpur by-election win: Image credit: Post Staff
Jaipur: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a thumping victory in Dholpur by-elections. The results were announced on Thursday afternoon. BJP candidate Shobha Rani Khushwaha defeated Congress leader Banwari Lal Sharma by a record margin of 38,763 votes. BJP secured 62.15 percent of votes, while Congress managed only 36.90 percent.
Shobha Rani has apparently secured a historic win in Dholpur constituency by winning by the largest margin of votes.
Shobharani got 91,548 votes, while his closet opponent Banwari Lal Kushwaha received 52,875 votes.
Chief minister Vasundhara Raje said the victory was a testimony to the fact that BJP’s ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ slogan was working.
A large crowd of BJP supporters gathered at Dholpur palace where Raje is staying after the victory of BJP candidate was announced. They shouted slogans as Raje came out.
BJP supporters burst firecrackers at the state BJP unit office.
BJP state president Ashok Parnami attributed the victory to the ‘Modi wave’ and the development works carried out by the BJP government in Rajasthan.
Congress state president Sachin Pilot accused the government of misusing state machinery during the elections.
“We accept the defeat, but the way BJP misused government machinery is objectionable,” said Pilot.
Dholpur by-polls were crucial for Vasundhara Raje as results of this election will send a strong message about what people think about the current BJP-led government in Rajasthan. The results may influence decision making at party levels for Rajasthan assembly elections scheduled to take place nearly 20 months later.
The BJP candidate was Shobha Rani Kushwaha, wife of BL Kushwaha who is currently behind bars on charges of murder. Dholpur by-election was held since Kushwaha – Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA from the constituency – was convicted, resulting in his disqualification. Shobha was pitted against veteran local Congress leader Banwari Lal Sharma who has won assembly elections five times.
Chief minister Vasundhra Raje and more than 12 ministers of his cabinet camped in Dholpur for several days to reach out to voters in every polling booth in the constituency. Sachin Pilot from Congress also campaigned vigorously.
Fifteen candidates, including 12 independents, were in the fray. But the fight is mainly between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress.