Congress workers and supporters celebrate the party’s winning in the Rajasthan Assembly elections, at the party office in Jaipur, Tuesday, Dec 11, 2018. (PTI Photo) Seven out of 15 Muslim candidates fielded by the Congress won the Assembly elections in Rajasthan. In 2013, not a single Muslim candidate from the Congress had won the election. Amin Kagzi won from Kishanpole seat, Rafiq Khan from Adarsh Nagar, Zahida Khan from Kaman, Danish Abrar from Swai Madhopur, Shaleh Mohammad from Pokaran, Amin Khan from Sheo and Hakam Ali Khan from Fatehpur.
Kagzi, Zahida, Abrar, Shaleh and Amin Khan had also contested the 2013 Assembly elections but had to face defeat amid a BJP wave.
In 2018 Assembly elections which were held on December 7, the Congress emerged as the single-largest party in Rajasthan, winning 99 seats. It’s allied Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats — the required number to form a government.
The BJP got 73 seats.
The only Muslim candidate fielded by the BJP – Yoonus Khan – lost the election to Congress’s Sachin Pilot in Tonk constituency. Of 73 elected legislators of the BJP, not a single Muslim face will represent the party in the Assembly.
The BJP had fielded four Muslim candidates in 2013 Assembly elections, including Yoonus Khan and Habibur Rehman. Rehman joined the Congress after the BJP denied him a ticket from Nagaur in this Assembly election. He, however, lost the seat.
