The Hindu : National : Congress, BJP win a seat each in Rajasthan

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National

Congress, BJP win a seat each in Rajasthan

Mohammed Iqbal

JAIPUR: The ruling Congress and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party won one seat each in the November 7 by-elections in two Assembly constituencies in Rajasthan.

The BJP wrested Todabhim from an Independent, while the Congress retained Salumber. Both seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. The by-elections were necessitated by the incumbents resigning their seats on being elected to the Lok Sabha.

The BJP’s Ramesh Chand Meena defeated Congress rival Shivdayal Meena by 8,277 votes in Todabhim.

The Congress here blamed three rebels for the defeat. Prithvi Singh, Kamla Meena and Rajendra Singh, who were strong contenders for Congress ticket, together polled over 24,000 votes.

The official candidate of the party got 32,753 votes, while the BJP nominee secured 41,030.

Kirorilal Meena, stalwart of the Meena community, who kept away from the election campaign this time, had won from Todabhim in the 2008 Assembly elections, giving a drubbing to both the Congress and BJP candidates, who lost their deposits.

Mr. Meena, since elected to the Lok Sabha from Dausa, and his wife Golma Devi, who is a Minister of State in the Ashok Gehlot government, wield a significant influence in the Todabhim region. Mr. Meena refrained from extending open support to any candidate in the by-election.

Basanti Meena of the Congress defeated Amritlal Meena of the BJP by 3,098 votes in Salumber. Her husband, Raghuveer Meena, had won the seat in 2008. Ms. Basanti Meena polled 55,651 votes, while the BJP’s Amritlal Meena got 52,553 votes.

Three others were independents, while one fought on behalf of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist Liberation).

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