By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Jaipur: Two Muslim candidates from the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Nagaur district Habibur Rehman from Nagaur and Yunus Khan from Deedwana have won the Assembly elections in Rajasthan.
BJP had given tickets to only four Muslim candidates. The Minority Morcha of the BJP, led by Amin Pathan, was earlier lobbying for at least eight seats.
The other two BJP candidates, Abdul Sangeer Khan from Dholpur, and new face Salim Tanwar from Mandawa, however, have lost.
Yunus Khan was minister in the Vasundhra Raje government (2003-2008) earlier, but had election last time. Habibur Rahman is a former Congress Minister, who contested on BJP ticket last time over differences with party on seat allocation and had won.
Considering the seniority and experiences of them both, and the fact that the two remain the only Muslim MLAs from the party, both could become ministers in the Vasundhara cabinet.
Habibur Rahman won defeating Congress rebel Harindra Mirda by a margin of over six thousand votes. Congress had fielded Shaukat Ali against Habibur Rahman, but he came third.
The Congress had fielded 17 Muslim candidates in the state, and what could be termed as complete rout of the Congress, 16 of their Muslim candidates too lost. Election in the Churu Assembly constituency was adjourned following the death of BSP candidate Jagdish Meghwal. Congress’ sitting MLA Haji Maqbool Mandela from Churu has gone back to people to seek mandate.
Congress had given tickets to two Muslim candidates in Jaipur city, veteran Mahir Azad from Adarsh Nagar and Amin Kagzi from Kishan Pole.
Education Minister of State in Ashok Gehlot Government, Naseem Akhtar Insaaf too lost from Pushkar constieuncy to rookie 29 year old Suresh Singh Rawat of the BJP.
In Sawai Madhopur, Congress candidate Danish Abrar, a 29 year old MBA graduate from London, and son of former Union Minister Abrar Ahmed came third.
BJP’s candidate from Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur’s Rajkumari Diya Kumari Singh won the seat, while Dr Kirodilal Meena of NPP came third.
Shaitan Singh of the BJP defeated sitting Congress MLA Saleh Mohammad at the Pokhra seat. A first perusal at result, gives the impression that substantial Muslim voters in the districts of Bermer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and some other regions.
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Riding on ‘liberal inclusive’ image of Vasundhra BJP hopes to gain minorities’ votes in Rajasthan