Rajasthan minister Surendra Pal loses Karanpur election

The polling in the Karanpur seat was postponed due to the death of the Congress candidate and then MLA Gurmeet Singh Konoor

Surendra Pal Singh TT, a minister in the newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan, on Monday lost the by-poll in the Sriganganagar’s Karanpur constituency at a margin of 11,261 votes to the Congress’s Rupinder Singh Konoor.

Surendra Pal Singh TT (File)

The polling in the Karanpur seat was postponed due to the death of the Congress candidate and then MLA Gurmeet Singh Konoor (75) on November 15. While the Congress had fielded Gurmeet’s son Rupinder from the seat, the BJP showed its faith in TT, a two-time MLA from the seat.

TT had taken oath as a minister of state (independent charge) in the cabinet of the new chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government on December 30, sparking a controversy as the Congress termed his oath as a violation of the model code of conduct.

On Monday, while Konoor won the battle with 94,761 votes, TT fell short with only 83,500 votes. With Rupinder’s victory in Karanpur, the Congress increased its tally to 70 from 69 in the state assembly while the BJP had already won 115 seats in the assembly elections in November.

Expressing his gratitude to the people of Karanpur, Congress candidate Rupinder Singh Konoor said, “It was not my election but my father’s. I am thankful to the people that they kept their faith in my father’s 40 years of service despite all the political pressure.”

Referring to TT’s oath as a minister, he also added: “India is a democratic country and they replied to the BJP. Their masterstroke has failed drastically.”

Meanwhile, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said, “Karanpur’s people have defeated the BJP’s arrogance. Their party turned the by-poll into a joke where the candidate could be appointed as a minister without being elected.”

He also added: “Karanpur’s victory has proved that the Congress still has enough power in the state. It will motivate us to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha battle now.”

Taking a dig at the new BJP government, Congress state chief Govind Singh Dotasra said that Monday’s victory reveals the failure of the new BJP government. “In the last one month, there is no governance. The cabinet expansion was delayed by a month and then they were busy in changing the names of the Congress schemes only,” he said.

Dotasra said, “The result showed that a government can make someone a minister, but not an MLA for which you need the support of the people. Public has rejected the unconstitutional move taken by the BJP ahead of the poll. The Election Commission also didn’t take any action in the matter. But the people gave its reply.”

The Congress lodged a formal complaint to the Election Commission on December 31 following TT’s oath urging to disqualify him from contesting the Karanpur bypoll.

TT was also allocated the portfolios of minority and waqf department, agricultural marketing department, Indira Gandhi Nahar, and irrigation development.

Earlier, TT had served as a minister twice in former CM Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government in 2003 and 2018. He was given the agriculture department in 2003 and the petroleum department in 2018.

Responding to TT’s defeat in the Karanpur by-poll, BJP state president CP Joshi said, “The party will review the reasons of TT’s loss in the by-poll.”