As BJP numbers slide in Rajasthan, minster Meena indicates he will keep word on resigning

Jaipur: With trends showing the BJP ahead on 14 of the total 25 seats in Rajasthan, state Cabinet minister Kirodi Lal Meena Tuesday indicated he would keep his word on resigning from the post if his party loses any of the seven seats under his responsibility.

The BJP had won all the 25 seats in Rajasthan in the last two Lok Sabha elections, but the trends in these polls show the party's tally coming down by more than 10 seats.

Meena on Monday said he will quit as minister if the BJP loses any of the seven seats under his responsibility.

As the counting of votes progressed on Tuesday, he posted the famous Ramcharitramanas lines in Hindi on X, "Raghukul Reeti Sada Chali Aai, Pran Jaai Par Bachan Na Jaai" -- essentially saying he'd keep his word at all costs.

He said that the PM had given him a list of seven seats (in eastern Rajasthan) on which he worked hard.

"Before PM came to Dausa, I had said that if the (Dausa) seat is not won, I will leave the post of minister. Later the PM spoke to me separately and gave me a list of 7 seats. I worked hard on 11 seats, more on 7. If the party loses even one seat out of 7, I will leave the post of minister and serve water here," he told reporters yesterday.

The agriculture and rural development minister campaigned on seats in eastern Rajasthan including Dausa, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, Alwar, Tonk-Sawaimadhopur and Kota-Bundi.

"Before PM came to Dausa, I had said that if the (Dausa) seat is not won, I will leave the post of minister. Later, the PM spoke to me separately and gave me a list of seven seats. I worked hard on 11 seats, more so on seven. If the party loses even one seat out of the seven, I will leave the post of minister and serve water here," he said.

He, however, added, "There is doubt on some seats like Barmer and Churu and this will have to be accepted."

The Congress could not win a single seat in Rajasthan in the last two Lok Sabha elections.

In the 2019 general elections, the BJP-led NDA had won all the 25 seats, and the BJP won all seats in 2014.

As per the trends of counting, which began at 8 am in all the 25 constituencies, the Congress is leading on Dausa, Karauli-Dholpur, Tonk-Sawaimadhopur, Bharatpur, Ganganagar, Churu, Jhunjhunu and Barmer.

In Dausa, Congress candidate Murari Lal Meena is leading with a margin of 1,84,706 votes.

The BJP is ahead in Bikaner, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Jalore, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota and Jhalawar- Baran.

INDIA bloc parties CPI(M) and RLP and BAP, supported by Congress, were also leading in one seat each.