Rajasthan Election 2023: Rajasthan is gearing up for the upcoming legislative assembly elections scheduled for November 25. The political landscape in the state has drawn nationwide attention as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress face off in a closely contested battle.
The current Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot of the Congress, is vying for a consecutive victory based on his government's performance, while the BJP hopes to reclaim power, continuing its historical trend of alternating in governance.
The BJP has invested significant effort in its campaigns to secure victory in the Rajasthan elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been actively addressing public gatherings in the state, and the party has fielded several Members of Parliament and central ministers to contest in the assembly elections.
Key leaders of the BJP are engaging in continuous public rallies to garner support. The outcome of this election will be revealed after the ballot counting on December 3, but for now, let's reflect on the dynamics of the first assembly elections in Rajasthan.
The article will delve into how people voted in the initial elections, shedding light on which party secured the majority of seats.
The first election for the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly took place on February 29, 1952. This historic election marked the commencement of democratic governance in the state after India gained independence.
In the inaugural election, there were a total of 140 seats in the Legislative Assembly. A total of 616 candidates contested for these 140 seats, with 20 being two-member constituencies and 120 being single-member constituencies.
This election played a pivotal role in shaping the democratic foundation of the state following the era of independence.
In the first elections in Rajasthan, the Indian National Congress (INC) emerged as the leading party. It secured 82 seats out of 160 with a total of 1,286,953 votes, garnering a vote share of 39.46%.
The Akhil Bharatiya Ram Rajya Parishad (ARRP) secured the second position with 399,958 votes, winning 24 seats and obtaining a vote share of 12.26%.
The Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS) at the time won 8 seats with 193,532 votes, holding a vote share of 5.93%.
These results established the Indian National Congress as the dominant force in the initial political landscape of Rajasthan.
A total of 32,61,442 voters participated in this election, constituting 35.19% of the total 92,68,215 eligible voters.