17 BJP ministers lose in anti-incumbency heat

JAIPUR: At least 17 sitting ministers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost their seats in Rajasthan on Tuesday with experts saying it indicated the level of anti-incumbency the party faced this time.

State agriculture minister Prabhu Lal Saini lost his Anta seat to his nearest rival, Pramod Bhaya of the Congress, with a margin of 34,063 votes.

Sports minister Gajendra Singh Khivsar lost from Lohwat seat to his Congress rival Kishana Ram Vishnoi. Public works department minister Yunush Khan, who was pitted against state Congress President Sachin Pilot from the Tonk constituency, had to face defeat. Pilot secured 109,040 votes and won with a margin of 54,179 seats.

Tribal area minister Nandlal Meena’s son Hemant Meena lost the Pratapgarh seat to Congress’s Ramlal, who bagged 100,625 votes and won with a margin of 16,668 votes. Industries minister Rajpal Singh Shekhawat lost the Jhotwara seat to Congress’s Lalchand Kataria, who secured 127,185 votes, securing the victory with a margin of 10,747 votes. Water resources minister Rampratap lost the Hanumangarh seat to his Congress rival Vinod Kumar who secured 111,207 votes, emerging victorious with a margin of 15,522 votes.

Minister Hem Singh Bhadana lost from the Thangazi constituency. He was defeated by independent candidate Kanti Prasad, who secured 64,079 votes and won with a margin of 29,350 votes. Bhadana was contesting as an independent candidate after quitting the BJP a few months ago.

Minister Ajay Sigh Kilak lost the Degana constituency to his Congress rival Vijaypal Mirdaha, who got 75,362 votes and won with a margin of 21,538 votes. Social justice and minor- ity affairs minister Arun Chaturvedi lost the Civil Lines seat to Congress’s Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, who secured 87,937 votes and won with a margin of 18,078 votes.

Urban development minister Shrichand Kriplani lost Nimbahera seat to Congress’s Anjana Udailal, who got 110,037 votes and had a victory margin of 11,908 votes. Revenue minister Amra Ram lost Pachpadra seat to Congress’s Madan Prajapat, who polled 69,393 votes and won with a margin of 2,395 votes. art and culture minister Krishnendra Kaur (Deepa) lost Nadbai seat to her Bahujan Samaj Party rival Joginder Singh Awana, who got 50,976 votes.

Mines minister Surender Pal Singh lost the Karanpur seat to the Congress’s Gurmeet Singh Kooner (73, 896 votes) with a margin of 28,376 votes. State minister Otaram Devasi faced a defeat in the Sirohi constituency at the hands of independent candidate Sanyam Lodha, who got 81,272 votes and won with a margin of 10,253 votes.

Minister Banshidhar Bajiya lost the Khandela seat to independent candidate Mahadeo Singh, who got 53,864 votes and won with a margin of 4,348 votes. Minister Sushil Katara lost Chorasi seat to Bhartiya Tribal Party candidate Rajkumar Roat, who got 64,119 votes and won with a margin of 12,934 votes.

Minister Kamsa also lost Bhopalgarh seat to his Rashtriya Loktantrik Party rival Pukhraj, who got 68,386 votes. His won by a margin of 22,584 votes.

HT PHOTO The BJP office in Jaipur saw tense scenes as early trends trickled in. As the counting neared its end in the evening, as few as five people were present at the office.