In the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 115 seats, but it couldn’t break the Congress’s stronghold of 9 seats. The Congress has held these 9 assembly seats for 10 to 25 years. Not only that, the Congress successfully waved the flag of the ‘hand’ by defeating the BJP in its 8 strongholds.
Sardarpura unbreakable fortress:
The Sardarpura assembly seat in Jodhpur district has been unbeaten by the Congress for 25 years. Congress’s Manvendra Singh Dewda won victory in 1998 on this seat. After that, Ashok Gehlot contested elections on this seat in 2003 and led the Congress’s victory chariot forward. Gehlot has been contesting elections from here continuously and has been victorious each time. Before Dewda, BJP’s Rajendra Gehlot won elections twice on this seat in 1990 and 1993. BJP’s original political organization, Jana Sangh, also won elections here in 1967.
Invincible for 15 years on three seats:
Congress has been unbeaten for 15 years on the assembly seats of Jhunjhunu, Laxmangarh, and Kota South. Brijendra Singh Ola has been continuously winning elections from the Jhunjhunu seat from 2008 to 2023. The current Pradesh Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra also has his name associated with this achievement. He has not faced defeat in any election from the Laxmangarh seat since 2008. Congress’s Mahendrajit Singh Malviya, who holds the Todabhim seat, has also kept the Congress flag flying high, securing victories in 2013 and 2023. In 2018, Congress’s Prithviraj emerged victorious in this seat. Ashok Chandna of Congress has maintained his party’s dominance on the Hindoli seat since 2013.
Ten years of control on five seats:
Congress has held control over 5 assembly seats for 10 years. These seats are Sardarshahar, Dantaramgarh, Rajakhera, Todabhim, and Hindoli. Congress won elections on the Sardarshahar seat in 2013, 2018, and 2023 with different candidates each time. In Dantaramgarh, Congress’s Narayan Singh won in 2013. After that, Veerendra Singh has consistently won elections here in 2018 and 2023, keeping the Congress flag high. On the Rajakheda seat, Pradyumn Singh won elections in 2013 with the symbol of the ‘hand.’ After him, Congress’s Rohit Bohra has been undefeated in this seat since 2018 and 2023. Ghan Shyam, on Congress’s ticket, won elections on the Todabhim seat in 2013 and 2023. In 2018, Prithviraj of Congress achieved victory here. On the Hindoli seat, Ashok Chandna of Congress has upheld his party’s flag since 2013.
Eight BJP strongholds crumbled by Congress:
In the 2023 assembly elections, the Congress succeeded in defeating the BJP in 8 strongholds. The Pali assembly seat is one such seat where the BJP has been undefeated since 1998. Jyanchand Parakh had been winning consecutively from here under the symbol of the lotus. Congress’s Kesararam Chaudhary ended the 25-year reign of Parakh this time. Similarly, in the seats of Phulera, Nagaur, Reodar, and Khanpur, the BJP had been in control for 20 years. Congress achieved success in breaking the BJP’s charm on these seats in the 2023 elections. In the three assembly seats of Ratanagar, Bhinmal, and Bundi, the BJP had been undefeated for 15 years. Congress showed in these seats that elections can turn in any direction. Nirmal Kumawat of BJP had been the MLA from Fulera in 2008, 2013, and 2018. Congress’s Vidhyadhar Singh Choudhary halted his victory campaign this time and emerged successful in the elections. Jagseeram Koli of BJP had been winning continuously from the Reodar assembly seat since 2003. Motiram Koli of Congress shattered his dreams of winning the fourth consecutive election in 2023. On the Khanpur seat, Congress’s Suresh Gurjar defeated BJP’s Narendra Nagar, ending the uninterrupted rule of a single family from 2003.
Similarly, on the Bhinmal seat, BJP’s Pura Ram Choudhary had been winning elections since 2008. Dr Samarsingh of Congress shattered Pura Ram Choudhary’s dream of winning the fourth consecutive election in 2023. The same story was repeated in the Bundi assembly constituency. Ashok Dogra of BJP had not faced defeat in any election since 2008, but Congress’s Hari Mohan Sharma prevented him from hitting a six this time.