With Ramgarh win, Congress reaches halfway mark in Rajasthan Assembly

After the results were declared, Zubair said that “people are tired of the BJP’s policy of divide and rule. For how long will people be made to think (along the lines) of Hindu and Muslim? Youths want jobs, the women want a safer environment and income, demonetisation and GST affected people’s income and farmers’ debts skyrocketed.”

She credited “party workers in Ramgarh” for her victory. “Several ministers went home to home, cautioning people against casteism. Dr Raghu Sharma (Health Minister), who was in charge, organised the campaign rather well,” she said.

Since 1990, it was either BJP’s Gyandev Ahuja or Congress’s Zubair Khan — Zubair’s husband — who was winning from Ramgarh. Ahuja won the seat in 2013, 2008 and 1998, while Khan won in 2003, 1993 and 1990. Before them, BJP’s Raghuwar Dayal won in 1985.

The election to Alwar’s Ramgarh seat was deferred following the death of BSP candidate Laxman Singh ahead of the December 7 Assembly polls. The BJP did not field Ahuja as he reportedly did not get along with former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. He was later made the party’s state vice-president.

Ramgarh was in the news last year with the death of one Rakbar, 31. Rakbar was transporting cows on the intervening night of July 20-21 with one Aslam Khan when they were allegedly stopped by villagers in Lalwandi in Ramgarh. While Rakbar succumbed to injuries sustained in the assault, Aslam managed to escape. They were headed for their village Kolgaon in Haryana, a dozen kilometres from Lalwandi.

The ruling Congress now has 100 MLAs in the Assembly of 200. It has the support of an RLD MLA. BSP chief Mayawati had also extended support to the Congress government through her six MLAs. Some rebel Congress MLAs considered close to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot were elected as Independents in last year’s Assembly elections.