Rajasthan minister, 5-time lawmaker, quits BJP weeks before polls

The move comes days before Rajasthan goes to polls on December 7.

A day after he was denied a ticket for the 2018 Rajasthan elections, state minister Surendra Goyal resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party today.

A minister in the Rajasthan government quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after he was denied a ticket for the December 7 assembly elections (File photo) (AFP)

He submitted his resignation in a two-line letter to state BJP president Madan Lal Saini.

Goyal, a five-term MLA, was replaced by Avinash Gehlot from Jaitaran seat in Pali district, as per the first list of 131 BJP candidates released late Sunday night. Goyal , who holds the water resources portfolio, was the only minister in the Vasundhara Raje government who has been dropped so far.

He is likely to contest as an independent from the seat.

Elections to the 200-member Rajasthan assembly will be held on December 7.