Rajasthan: BJP’s tally in SC/ST seats nose dives

Jaipur, Dec 14: The BJP's tally in those seats reserved for SC/STs in Rajasthan has taken a nose dive. The party managed to win just 20 out of the 59 seats reserved for SC/STs.

Out of the 34 seats that were reserved for the SC candidates in the state, the BJP won 11 of them. In 2013, the party had won 32 of the 34. Even in the ST segment the tally of the BJP came down to half from 2013. In 2013, the party had won 18 out of the 25 ST seats, while this year the party could manage just 9.

It could be said that this was on expected lines as the state had witnessed violence following the Supreme Court's verdict on the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

In Alwar district where a Dalit man had been killed allegedly in police firing on April 2, the BJP lost 8 of the 10 seats. The BJP also lost all five seats in Sikar district, where several people had been booked following the April 2 violence. In 2013, the party had won all the five seats here.

In Barmer and Jaisalmer districts, where there was violence on April 2, the BJP managed to win just one out of the nine seats.