Rajasthan minister resigns after losing Karanpur poll

Jaipur: Rajasthan Minister of State Surendra Pal Singh resigned from his post after losing the election to the Karanpur assembly seat on Monday.

Congress candidate Rupinder Singh Koonar won the seat with 94,950 votes as against Singh's 83,667.

The BJP nominee was inducted into the Bhajanlal Sharma ministry on December 30, ahead of the polling on January 5. The minister of state (Independent charge) was later allocated the Agriculture Marketing Board, Indira Gandhi Canal Department and Minority Affairs Department.

Under the rules, he had to get elected as an MLA within six months of his appointment as a minister.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma forwarded the resignation letter of Minister of State (Independent Charge) Surendra Pal Singh and it has been accepted by the Governor with immediate effect, a Raj Bhavan spokesperson said.

Polls were held on 199 of the 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan on November 25. Election in Karanpur was deferred due to the death of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar. The Congress this time fielded his son Rupinder Singh Koonar.