Seven newly elected MPs from Rajasthan take oath

Seven MLAs, who emerged victorious in the recent by-elections, took oath in the Assembly on Tuesday, in a ceremony led by Speaker Vasudev Devnani.

Among them was Revantram Danga, who arrived at the Assembly on a tractor. Danga had defeated Kanika Beniwal, the wife of RLP president and Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal in the Khinvsar Assembly seat. This defeat ended the RLP’s dominance in its home constituency, which had represented the constituency since 2008.

In the recent bypolls, the BJP secured five seats, while the Congress and the Bharatiya Adivasi Party (BAP) won one each.

With the conclusion of the by-elections, the total number of deputies sitting in the Assembly now stands at 200.

On Tuesday, BJP MLAs Revantram Danga, Rajendra Bhambu (who won from Jhunjhunu defeating Brijendra Ola’s son Amit Ola), Shanta Devi Meena (elected from Salumber) and Sukhwant Singh (from Ramgarh) took oath. Congress MP Deendayal Bairwa, who triumphed over State Minister Kirori Lal Meena’s brother in Dausa, and BAP MP Anil Katara, elected from Chaurasi, were also sworn in.

Danga, who had defeated Beniwal, made a remarkable entrance on a tractor.

The BAP, with four MLAs, is now the third largest party in the Assembly after the BJP and the Congress. Its representatives come from three predominantly tribal districts: Dungarpur, Bagidora in Banswara and Dhariyavad in Pratapgarh.

Following the by-elections, the composition of the Assembly is as follows: BJP with 119 MLAs, Congress with 66, BAP with 4, BSP with 2, RLD with 1 and 8 independent MLAs.

By-elections were held for five seats following the elevation of MPs to MPs, and two seats fell vacant due to the death of MPs.

Hanuman Beniwal, representing Khinvsar, became Nagaur MP; Congress MP Harish Meena from Deoli-Uniara became MP from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur; Jhunjhunu MP Brijendra Ola became MP; Dausa MP Murarlal Meena became Dausa MP; and BAP MP Rajkumar Roat from Chaurasi became MP from Banswara-Dungarpur. The Salumber seat fell vacant due to the death of BJP MP Amritlal Meena, while the Ramgarh seat was vacated after the death of Congress MP Zuber Khan.

(With inputs from IANS)