After playing an active role in university student politics, the youth who stepped into state politics have been embraced by the people of Rajasthan.
Seven legislators have been elected from across the state who have a direct connection with student politics and have emerged purely from student union politics. Among them, three are former legislators, while four have the opportunity to go to the legislature for the first time.
Ravindra Singh Bhati, Lalit Yadav, Abhimanyu Poonia, and Manish Yadav have become legislators for the first time after winning in the legislative assembly elections.
Meanwhile, Kailash Verma, Mukesh Bhakar, and Ramnivas Gawriya have been elected legislators for the second time. These seven leaders started their careers in student union politics and will now be prominent in the state’s politics.
First-time Legislators Ravindra Singh Bhati from the Shiv Legislative Assembly constituency
Ravindra Singh Bhati emerged as a prominent face in this election. He contested as an independent candidate and defeated former legislator Fateh Khan by 3950 votes. It is worth noting that in 2019, Ravindra Bhati decided to contest for the position of student union president. However, when he did not get the ticket from ABVP, he entered the independent election arena. Then, for the first time in 57 years of the history of the student union, an independent student union president of Jai Narayan Vyas University, Jodhpur.
Lalit Yadav from the Mundawar legislative assembly. Lalit Yadav became a legislator for the first time. Lalit Yadav defeated BJP’s Manjeet Choudhary by 35,624 votes. In the 2018 elections, Lalit Yadav had contested as a BSP candidate after not getting a ticket from Congress. However, he lost the election. Still, the good thing was that Yadav, who was popular among the youth in his area, stood second.
However, in his second attempt, Lalit Yadav succeeded in reaching the legislative assembly.
Abhimanyu Poonia from the Sangaria legislative assembly constituency
Abhimanyu Poonia became a legislator for the first time. Abhimanyu defeated BJP’s Gurdeep Singh by 42,010 votes. Abhimanyu Poonia had served as the state president of NSUI, the student organisation of Congress, in Sangaria.
Manish Yadav from the Shahpura legislative assembly constituency. After witnessing defeat in the previous election in Shahpura, Manish Yadav, who had contested independently, defeated Alok Beniwal by a significant margin of 64,908 votes. Manish Yadav became the student union president in 2010 and gradually became active in Rajasthan politics. Manish Yadav, who became popular among the youth by organising blood donation camps in the area, also contested the assembly elections in 2018.
However, he lost, and independent candidate Alok Beniwal, the son of former Governor Dr. Kamla, won.
Second-time Legislators, Kailash Verma from the Bagru legislative assembly constituency
Kailash Verma has been a legislator from Bagru since 2013. In this election, he defeated Congress’s Gangadevi by 45,250 votes.
Mukesh Bhakar from the Ladnu legislative assembly constituency. Mukesh Bhakar, who won for the second time from the Ladnu legislative assembly seat, defeated BJP’s Karna Singh by 15,954 votes. Ramnivas Gawriya from the Parbatsar legislative assembly constituency
Ramnivas Gavariya from Parbatsar is also a second-time legislator.
\He defeated BJP’s Manasingh Kinsariya by 10,316 votes.