Why cross voting in Rajasthan, where management failed, churn in BJP

Rajasthan | The BJP has begun introspection after its strategy of winning two out of four Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan failed. The BJP-backed Independent candidate had to face defeat. At the same time, a legislator of the party had voted in favor of the Congress candidate. The week-long drama in the state ended in the late evening of June 10, with the ruling Congress winning three seats and the BJP having to be content with the victory of its official candidate, Ghanshyam Tiwari.

The opposition faced huge embarrassment not only because they had made tall claims of winning the second seat but also expressed their displeasure with the party by cross-voting party MLA Shobharani Kushwaha. Taking quick action, the party has suspended the rebel MLA from its primary membership and issued notice to him.

Before the election, independent candidate Subhash Chandra was claiming that eight Congress MLAs would vote in his favor. Even BJP leaders were giving statements about winning two seats. However, after the elections, the tone of the party changed. Leaving the assembly after voting, Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said, "How could we have won two seats when we had the majority to win only one seat? We have not lost anything.

He said the reason behind the party's decision to support an independent candidate was to expose the Gehlot government. He fortified the MLAs and had seduced them. However, a senior BJP MLA said the results could have changed had the candidate been selected a month ago. The late announcement gave the ruling government an edge. It's not that we didn't have the numbers. There were some MLAs who were in touch but some wanted commitment and others did not want to reveal their names.

He said that what happened in Maharashtra and Haryana is very different. There the difference was not that big. Here in Rajasthan, the independent candidate had eight votes less after supporting the RLP. Another reason was the leadership, the legislators who were looking to support were asking for ticket commitment in the next elections, which was not possible. Whereas in Congress everything is in the hands of Ashok Gehlot. He was of the view that the results would not affect the party's prospects in future as MLAs here do not elect the people.

Another party functionary said the reason for such a result is lack of coordination within the party and a late decision on the candidate. "It was claimed that 5-7 MLAs are in touch, but one from our side cheated," he said. He believed that every victory boosts morale and this time it is the Congress's happiness. Let us inform that Congress candidate Mukul Wasnik, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Pramod Tiwari won by 42, 43 and 41 votes. While Ghanshyam Tiwari of BJP won by 43 votes. Whereas, Subhash Chandra needed 41 votes to become a Rajya Sabha MP. He was supported by BJP but lost by 30 votes.