11 of 22 BJP-Cong rebel leaders won

Eleven of the 22 candidates who contested the assembly polls as independents after not getting the tickets from the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have emerged victorious.

From the Congress, 11 candidates contested as independent, out of which 10 emerged victorious while 12 from the BJP contested as independent out of which one was able to win.

From the Congress, Raj Kumar Gaur, Mahadeo Singh, Babulal Nagar, Baljeet Yadav, Khushveer Singh, Sanyam Lodha, Ramila Khadiya, Laxman Meena, Alok Beniwal, and Ramkesh Meena contested as independent and won with a considerable margin.

Eleven MLAs’ primary membership was expelled by the Congress for six years. Among BJP rebels, only Om Prakash Hudla managed to win. He defeated BJP’s Rajendra by 9,985 votes.

On Wednesday, newly-elected members of the Rajasthan legislative assembly from the Congress, as well as party rebels gathered at the residence of Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur calling for his selection as the chief minister.

Manju Meghwal, Laxman Meena, Vinod Kumar Lilawat, Shanti Dhariwal, Manju Panwar, Ameen Kagzi and rebels Ramkesh Meena, Kanti Prasad, Mahadeo Singh Khandela and Babulal Nagar were among those who went to meet Gehlot.

Independent MLA Kanti Lal, Ramkesh Meena, Babu Lal Nagar and Mahadeo Singh Khandela extended their support to Gehlot.

“Gehlot is people’s leader and we are with him,” said Ramkesh Meena, the Independent MLA who won from Gangapur city.

“This would be the party high command’s decision. But if the Congress wants to win a good number of seats in the Lok Sabha elections then Gehlot should be made the CM,” Meena said.

Talking to media at Gehlot’s residence, Babu Lal Nagar said, “I was never against the Congress party. My fight was against the BJP but I was denied a ticket after which I decided to contest election as independent.” Nagar, who contested from Dudu constituency, defeated BJP candidate Premchand Bairwa by 14,779 votes.

Kanti Prasad, who won from Thanagazi, said 67-year-old Gehlot was the best option. “I want him to hold the top post as he is connected with the people of the state,” said Kanti Prasad. “He has gained love and support of the people throughout the country. I don’t know what would be the high command’s decision but Gehlot is the best person to hold the post,” he added.

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