Rajasthan Assembly Election Results 2018: How the big names fared

Jhalrapatan

Vasundhara Raje
BJP

• Raje has registered landslide victory on the seat due to the development works carried out by her. It would be not exaggerating to say she being a CM opened state coffers to develop the area which has elected her for four consecutive terms now. 
• Raje’s popularity among all castes played an important role in helping her sail through the polls comfortably.

Manvendra Singh
Cong

• Manvendra was billed as a strong candidate against Raje. But, the tag of being an outsider and a resentment within inner circle of the organization caused his defeat. 
• He has failed to cosy up to the locals who wanted “their” candidate from Congress. Even Rahul Gandhi’s road show didn’t work though he did manage to halve CM’s victory margin.

Tonk

Sachin Pilot
Cong

• The main factor that worked in Pilot’s victory is his CM candidature. People gave him votes as he was projected as the next CM. 
• The seat is dominated by Muslims. Hence the combination of traditional vote bank of Muslims, Gurjars and Meenas got him the resounding victory. The votes of Mali community also went in Pilot’s favour.

Yunus Khan
BJP

• Infighting and factions within local BJP organization cost Yoonus Khan dearly. The party had given ticket to Ajeet Mehta earlier but it changed his candidature at last moment allotting ticket to the PWD minister. 
• The workers associated with Mehta did not work enthusiastically for Khan. Being an outsider he failed to connect with local workers.

Udaipur

Gulab Chand Kataria
BJP

• Kataria, a six-time MLA, is a core RSS leader and the RSS worked for him once again. He belongs to Jain community which dominates the electorate. 
• The development works carried out by him also attracted voters. Despite being home minister Kataria regularly visited his constituency and remained active in resolving local issues.

Girija Vyas
Cong

• Girija Vyas contested assembly elections after a gap of 33 years from Udaipur. In past three decades, she remained active in Chittorgarh, a neighbouring constituency, from where she has won Lok Sabha polls. 
• It is said she failed to appeal to the voters as she remained out of reach. She was tabbed an outsider which proved adverse to her poll prospects.

Sanganer

Ashok Lahoti
BJP

• The constituency is dominated by Brahmins. Hence Jaipur mayor Lahoti, who hails from Vaishya community, easily sailed through as Brahmin votes got divided between Pushpendra Bhardwaj of Congress and BVP’s Ghanshyam Tiwari. 
• Lahoti in a planned manner carried out development works in the constituency

Pushpendra Bharadwaj
Cong

• Public image of Pushpendra Bhardwaj dented his poll prospects badly and he finally lost. 
• Bhardwaj is engaged in property business and many legal cases are pending against him. Lahoti in his campaign raised the issue effectively which made voters to distance themselves from Pushpendra.

Kota North

Shanti Dhariwal
Cong

• Dhariwal, an influential minister of previous Gehlot government, campaigned on the development and beautification works he carried out in constituency. 
• The voters got attracted towards him believing that he would become minister again and the works pending would be completed.

Prahlad Gunjal
BJP

• Anti incumbency against the Raje government proved fatal for Gunjal. The polarization of Gurjar votes in favour of Congress also worked against him. 
• The Congress has Sachin Pilot as CM candidate and Gurjars voted openly for Congress. Sitting MLA Gunjal, failed to take up Gurjar quota issue.

Nathdwara

CP Joshi
Cong

• CP Joshi has contested Assembly election in 2008 but lost by a single vote. The voters were sympathetic towards him this time and hence he easily won. 
• Another factor that worked in his favour was that Kalyan Singh, who defeated him in 2008, passed away and BJP put bet on a weak candidate Mahesh.

Mahesh Pratap Singh
BJP

• Mahesh Pratap Singh was a Congress turncoat who managed BJP ticket, switching side days before the elections. 
• Hence, the local leaders and workers were against his candidature which ensued infighting and factionalism within the organization causing his defeat.

Sardarpura

Ashok Gehlot 
Cong

• A two-time chief minister, Gehlot has been a sitting MLA from this constituency and was contesting for the fifth time. 
• A political magician, Gehlot enjoys support across caste and community and is also a chief minister probable in Congress. 

Shambhu Singh Khetasar
BJP

• Shambhu Singh Khetasar who contested against Gehlot had an uphill task as he was not facing Congress potential CM candidate but also master campaigner. 
• From the very beginning his defeat was a forgone conclusion.

Anta

Pramod jain Bhaya
Cong

• The senior Congress leader holds image of social activist. This has helped him to regain the seat he lost to BJP candidate in ‘Modi wave’. 
• Bhaya was a minister in previous Gehlot Cabinet.

Prabhu Lal Saini 
BJP

• A prominent minister in Raje government, Saini was agricultural minister. 
• His loss is being attributed to anti-incumbency against government and shift of ‘caste votes’ under influence of Ashok Gehlot.

Malviya Nagar

Kalicharan Sarraf
BJP

• A seasoned politician, Kalicharan Saraf has been a minister in the Vasundhara Raje government. 
• He is easy to approach for residents of his constituency and thus continues to enjoy support across communities.

Archana Sharma 
Cong

• Vice president of state Congress committee, Archana Sharma was in contest with two time sitting MLA from the constituency.  
• Although she gave a tough fight, she failed to generate confidence among the public.

Amber

Satish Punia
BJP

• Punia who lost 2013 election from Amber remained in contact with the locals. 
• He is a core RSS and cadre openly worked for him.

Prashant Sharma
Cong

• Prashant Sharma of Congress, a young face, failed to attract the voters. 
• Lack of experience in politics played a crucial part in his defeat.

Nokha

Bihari Lal Vishnoi
BJP

• It looks that voters wanted to elect a fresh face. Hence BJP’s Bihari Lal Vishnoi, who was contesting election for first time, easily scored a victory over Dudi, a stalwart Congress leader and former Bikaner MP. 
• Vishnoi during his campaign laid stress on the development works carried out for environment conservation.

Rameshwer Dudi
Cong

• Nokha constituency is dominated by Jats and Vishnois. It looks that Jats votes got split this time and Rameshwer Dudi, a strong Congress leader, lost badly from the seat. 
• Dudi failed to carry development in the rural area and it caused a resentment among local workers who did not work for him with dedication.

Nimbahera

Udailal Aanjna 
Cong

• A Congress MLA during second term of Ashok Gehlot, Aanjna has a good hold in the constituency. 
• However, denied ticket from party he contested as independent in 2013 and lost. He remained popular among voters in last five years enabled him to win elections.

Sri Chand Kriplani
BJP

• Urban development minister in Raje government, Kriplani was able to maintain a clean image. 
• However, inability to make the bureaucracy to work for public and rampant corruption in his department along with anti-incumbency led to his fall.

Khimsar

Hanuman Beniwal
RLTP

• Sitting MLA from Khinvsar constituency, enjoys support of youth and farmers. 
• He has a strong following among the Jat community to which he belongs to. He has recently floated his own party RLTP which ate into BJP support base. He was a former BJP man.  

Sawai Singh Godara 
Cong

• Godara lost the election to Hanuman Beniwal as he has been very popular with the youth of his community. 
• Godara failed to match the charisma and the organisational machinery of the powerful Jat leader, Beniwal, who made Raje main target of his attacks.

Pokaran

Saleh Mohamed 
Cong

• Son of Pir Ghazi Fakir, the Congress candidate enjoys support of a huge minority population residing in the border areas of Jaisalmer and Barmer. 
• The candidate was able to overcome the communal divide and draw support from other communities also in this area in this closely contested polls.

Pratappuri Maharaj
BJP

• Mahant of Taratara shrine, the BJP candidate is revered among a huge population of Rajput and other communities residing in the area. 
• He was also a preferred candidate of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath.  However, he had been unable to turn the support into votes.

Bikaner East

Siddhi Kumari
BJP

• BJP sitting MLA, Siddhi Kumari is from the erstwhile Bikaner royal family. Despite the anti-incumbency against her party she was able to draw support of local public. 
• Congress candidate Kanhiya Lal Jhanwar had changed his constituency from Nokha which triggered resentment among local Congressmen.

Kanhiya lal Jhanwar
Cong

• Congress candidate Kanhaiya Lal Jhanwar who had been contesting as an Independent from Nokha was given Congress ticket from Bikaner.     
• Being a parachute candidate he failed to get support of part cadre and at the same time being new to the area he failed to connect with voters. Royal family opponent added to his woes. 

Bikaner West 

BD Kalla
Cong

• A former state president of Congress, BD Kalla was initially denied ticket on criteria of ‘two consecutive defeat’. 
• However,  a strong display of power by Kalla forced the party to change its decision. He is a prominent Brahmin leader and has acceptance among several other communities.

Gopal Joshi
BJP

• There was an interesting contest in Bikaner West where 82 year old, two times sitting MLA was seeking a hat-trick. 
• Despite aggressive campaign by Gopal Joshi, it failed to make an impact among the young voters as he failed to implement any development in Bikaner including failing to reopen Technical University in the area.