State Politics of Rajasthan

State Politics of Rajasthan plays a crucial role in shaping the governance and development of the state. Known for its dynamic electoral shifts and strong party presence, Rajasthan often witnesses a two-party contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC). In the subject of Rajasthan Polity, the study of state politics highlights how regional parties, independents, and by-elections also influence the overall political landscape.

Previous year Questions

2023	Identify the distinguishing features of the first phase of electoral politics (1952-1971) in Rajasthan.राजस्थान में चुनावी राजनीति के प्रथम चरण (1952-1971) की मुख्य विशेषताओं को चिह्नित कीजिए \|	10M
2023	Regarding the Bharatiya Adivasi Party’s performance in the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha‘elections held in 2023’, answer the following questions :(a) Total seats contested by BAP(b) Total seats won by BAP(c) Percentage of valid votes secured by BAP(d) Percentage of valid votes secured by BAP in seats contested by it2023 में आयोजित राजस्थान विधान सभा चुनाव में, भारतीय आदिवासी पार्टी (BAP) के प्रदर्शन से संबंधितनिम्नांकित प्रश्नों का उत्तर दीजिए :(a) बी.ए.पी. द्वारा लड़ी गई कुल सीटें(b) बी.ए.पी. द्वारा जीती गई कुल सीटें(c) बी.ए.पी. द्वारा वैध मतों का प्राप्त प्रतिशत(d) बी.ए.पी. द्वारा लड़ी गई सीटों पर वैध मतों का प्राप्त प्रतिशत	2M
2021	Describe the main features of the First Assembly Election in Rajasthan after independence.स्वतंत्रता पश्चात्‌, राजस्थान में प्रथम विधानसभा चुनाव की मुख्य विशेषताओं का वर्णन कीजिए।	5M
2021	Distinguish between the Secretariat departments and the Directorates at the State Level.राज्य स्तर पर सचिवालय के विभागों एवं निर्देशालयों के बीच अंतर समझाइए।	5M
2018	Describe the political demography of Rajasthan.राजस्थान की राजनीतिक जनांकिकी का वर्णन कीजिए ।	5M
2018	Analyse the phenomena of absence of any effective State political party in Rajasthan.राजस्थान में किसी प्रभावशाली राज्यीय राजनीतिक दल के अभाव की परिघटना का विश्लेषण कीजिए ।	10M
2016	Explain the socio-economic bases of ‘Swatantra Party’ in Rajasthan .राजस्थान में ‘स्वतंत्र पार्टी’ के सामाजिक-आर्थिक आधार को स्पष्ट कीजिए ।	2M
2016 special exam	Explain the phenomenon of ‘Politicisation of castes’ in Rajasthan.राजस्थान में “जातियों के राजनीतिकरण’ की परिघटना को समझाइये ।	2M
2016 special exam	Discuss the phenomenon of stabilisation of “Two Party System’ in the politics ofRajasthan since 1998.1998 से राजस्थान की राजनीति में स्थिर हो रही “द्विदलीय प्रणाली” की परिघटना की विवेचना कीजिए ।	10M

State Politics of Rajasthan: Historical Background and Political Trends

Despite India having a constitution and a common legal system, the tendencies and conditions of politics in each state depend on the historical background, social and economic structure of the state. Rajasthan politics also holds special importance from this point of view.

According to Prof. Rajni Kothari, there are four main factors that influence the politics of states, which can also be understood in the context of the political conditions of Rajasthan.:

Political structure before independence – Rajasthan lacked an organized political system due to various princely states, due to which effective political parties could not be formed at the national level.
Nature of elements opposing Congress – Before independence, monarchical and feudal powers opposed Congress, but mass movements strengthened the support base of Congress. Even after independence, the opposing elements remained active.
Internal contradictions and diversity of Congress – Due to social and caste differences, there were differences and power struggles within the Congress, which affected the politics of the party.

Social structure of states – Rajasthan had a complex social structure based on caste and class. Political disagreements and conflicts among Rajputs, Jats, Meenas and other backward castes influenced the politics of the state.

Location of Rajasthan in independent India

Rajasthan was ruled by native kings for a long time and in British India, this state kept struggling to gain rights from the British.
In independent India, Rajasthan underwent a process of merger in several phases to take its current form.
18 March 1948: Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karauli were merged to form ‘Matsya Sangh’, on the advice of Kanhaiyalal Maniklal Munshi.
25 March 1948: Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Kishangarh, Tonk and Shahpura princely states were merged to form ‘Rajasthan Sangh’.
18 April 1948: Udaipur princely state was merged to form ‘United Rajasthan’.
The princely states of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Sirohi continued to exist separately till now.
30 March 1949: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer princely states were merged to form ‘Greater Rajasthan’, which was inaugurated by Sardar Patel.
Matsya Union was earlier independent, but had not yet become a part of Greater Rajasthan.
Uncertainty prevailed over Dholpur and Bharatpur, it could not be decided whether they should be included in Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan.
15 May 1949: Matsya Union became a part of Rajasthan.
There was a dispute over the merger of Sirohi, Rajasthani and Gujarati leadership could not reach a decisive position.
Sirohi was divided, Abu and Dilwara were assigned to Bombay province, the remaining part merged with Rajasthan on 7 February 1950.
There was a strong reaction among the residents of Rajasthan against this decision.
During the reorganization of states in 1956, parts of Sirohi were again merged with Rajasthan.
1 November 1956: Ajmer, which was a ‘C’ category state, was merged with Rajasthan.
Rajasthan acquired its present form by merging the territories of 19 princely states and 3 chiefships (Lava, Neemrana and Kushalgarh).
These territories became free from autocracy and attained a democratic independent environment.
Thus Rajasthan became a unit like other units of the Indian Union.

Analysis of political competition

Before the first assembly elections of Rajasthan (30 March 1949 – 3 March 1952)

On 30 March 1949, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel laid the foundation stone of the state of Rajasthan at the City Palace in Jaipur.
The ruler of Jaipur state Sawai Man Singh (II) was sworn in as Rajpramukh and the ruler of Kota Bhim Singh was sworn in as Uprajpramukh.
On 30 March 1949, Sawai Man Singh (II) administered the oath to Hiralal Shastri as the first Prime Minister (Chief Minister) of Rajasthan. Before 26 January 1950, the designation of the Chief Minister was Prime Minister.
Due to lack of proper arrangements in the oath taking ceremony, many leaders including Jai Narayan Vyas, Manikya Lal Verma, Mohanlal Sukhadia boycotted it.
From 30 March 1949 to 1 November 1956, Rajasthan was a ‘B’ category state.
‘B’ category states had legislative assemblies and elected legislators were also present. But the executive was headed by the ‘Rajpramukh’, and he was considered answerable to the Ministry of States of the Government of India.
After the reorganization of states on 1 November 1956, the post of ‘Rajpramukh’ was abolished and changed to ‘Governor’. (7th Constitutional Amendment, 1956)
Shri Gurumukh Nihal Singh was appointed the first Governor of Rajasthan on 25 October 1956. He assumed office on 1 November 1956.

Section-wise analysis of Rajasthan politics after the first assembly elections

Era of one party dominance system (Congress dominance) – (1952-1977)

From 1952 to 1977, Rajasthan politics was dominated by Congress, which Prof. Rajni Kothari called “one party dominant system”.
The period (1949-1954) is called the era of civil war or infighting in Congress.
From 1949 to 1954, 6 ministries were formed, which clearly showed political instability.

Hiralal Shastri (30 March 1949) – Became Chief Minister (then designated Prime Minister) with the support of Sardar Patel and Gokul Bhai Bhatt. After Hiralal Shastri became Chief Minister, Jayanarayan Vyas and Manikya Lal Verma launched a campaign against him.
Venkatachari (January 1951) – After Patel’s death, the Vyas-Verma faction became active. Due to the opposition of Jayanarayan Vyas and Manikya Lal Verma, Shastri was removed and Venkatachari was appointed. He was the Secretary of the State Ministry of the Government of India.
Jainarain Vyas (April 1951) – Made Chief Minister due to being close to Nehru.
Tikaram Paliwal (after 1952 elections) – Vyas lost the election, so Paliwal became Chief Minister. He took oath as Chief Minister on 3 March 1952.
Jainarain Vyas again – After becoming an MLA, Paliwal was removed and Vyas was again made Chief Minister. The inclusion of MLAs with feudal ideology increased discontent in the party. Leaders like Manikya Lal Verma, Mohanlal Sukhadia and Kumbha Ram Arya came in opposition. In 1954, Vyas was defeated in the legislative party election and Mohanlal Sukhadia became the Chief Minister.
Mohanlal Sukhadia (1954) – Became the Chief Minister after Vyas’s defeat in the legislative party election.
After Sukhadia became the Chief Minister in 1954, there was stability in the Congress.
The elections of 1957 and 1962 were fought under the leadership of Sukhadia in which Congress got a clear majority and Sukhadia became the Chief Minister.
Election of 1967 – Congress did not get majority, President’s rule was imposed for 45 days.
Re-formation of government in 1967 – Sukhadia again became the Chief Minister.
In the presidential election of 1969, he supported Neelam Sanjiva Reddy instead of V.V. Giri, which angered Indira Gandhi and in 1971, taking resignation from Sukhadia, Barkatulla Khan was made the Chief Minister.
Congress got a huge majority in the 1972 election. Barkatulla Khan became the Chief Minister, but he died after a year.
In October 1973, Haridev Joshi was made the Chief Minister. He remained the Chief Minister till the President’s rule was imposed for the second time on 29 April 1977.

First Assembly (1952–57)

The first assembly election was held under the leadership of Chief Minister Jayanarayan Vyas.
There were 160 assembly seats and 22 Lok Sabha seats in this election. 616 candidates contested for 140 assembly constituencies. There were 20 two-member constituencies and 120 single-member constituencies. Out of these, 139 assembly constituencies were reserved for the general category and 1 assembly constituency was reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. While no seat was reserved for the Scheduled Castes.
Apart from Congress, other political parties like Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Ram Rajya Parishad participated in Rajasthan.

Separate Assembly of Ajmer-Merwara

Ajmer-Merwara had a separate assembly of 30 members.
Ajmer-Merwara was not a part of Rajasthan.

Election and result:

In this election, seven candidates of Congress were elected unopposed out of 160 seats. Therefore, voting took place on 153 seats.
Seats obtained –

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress	82 (07 Unopposed)
Ram Rajya Parishad	24
Bharatiya Jana Sangh	8
Krishikar Lok Party	7
Hindu Mahasabha	2
Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party	1
Socialist Party	1
Independent	35
Total	160

The total voting percentage was 36.69%.
Candidates of Communist Party (11), K.G.S.P. (6), Forward Block (1) and Scheduled Caste Federation (1) were unsuccessful.
Congress got only 11 seats out of 22 Lok Sabha seats.

Win/defeat of big leaders

Jaynarayan Vyas contested from two seats but lost both the seats.
Tikaram Paliwal contested from two seats and won both the seats.
Hiralal Shastri did not contest the election.
Gokulbhai left politics and joined Sarvodaya movement.
Manikyalal Verma won the by-election after losing the Lok Sabha election.
Four women contested and all four lost.
- Chiranji Bai, Virendrabai, Shantabai, Rani Devi

Formation of the first assembly

The first assembly was formed on 23 February 1952.
The first elected democratic government of the state was formed on 3 March 1952.
Congress elected Tikaram Paliwal as the leader of the legislative party.
In the 5 years of the first assembly which started in 1952, there were 4 power struggles for the post of Chief Minister and during this period the Chief Ministers were changed 3 times.
1. Tikaram Paliwal
2. Jaynarayan Vyas
3. Mohanlal Sukhadia

Tikaram Paliwal Cabinet (3 March 1952)

The first meeting was held on 29 March 1952 at Sawai Mansingh Town Hall in Jaipur.
Narottamlal Joshi was elected the first Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on 31 March 1952 who had won the election from Jhunjhunu on a Congress ticket.
Key officials of the first assembly:
- Chief Minister- Tikaram Paliwal
- Assembly Speaker – Narottam Lal Joshi
- Assembly Deputy Speaker – Lal Singh Shaktawat
On 31 October 1952, this government resigned so that Jai Narayan Vyas could be made the Chief Minister.

Jaynarayan Vyas Cabinet (1 November, 1952)

Kishangarh MLA Chandmal Mehta was asked to vacate his seat for Jaynarayan Vyas.
In August 1952, Jaynarayan Vyas won the by-election for the post of MLA from Kishangarh.
On 1 November, 1952, Jaynarayan Vyas was made the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
Tikaram Paliwal became the Deputy Chief Minister.
Smt. Yashoda Devi won the by-election from Banswara in 1953. She became the first woman MLA of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.

Mohanlal Sukhadia Cabinet (13 November, 1954)

Mohanlal Sukhadia, Kumbharam Arya and Mathuradas Mathur raised the banner of revolt under the leadership of Manikyalal Verma.
In view of the growing discontent, the Congress High Command directed Jaynarayan Vyas to gain the confidence of the legislative party.
On 6 November, 1954, Mohanlal Sukhadia defeated Vyas by 8 votes in the Congress Legislature Party meeting.
Mohanlal Sukhadia formed his government on 13 November 1954.
Kamala Beniwal was made Deputy Minister, who became the first woman minister.

Ajmer merged with Rajasthan (1956)

In 1956, Ajmer merged with Rajasthan.
The 30-member assembly of Ajmer was merged with the Rajasthan assembly. Whose Chief Minister was Haribhau Upadhyay.
Number of members in this assembly
- Congress – 20
- Bharatiya Jan Sangh – 3
- Independent – 4
- Purusharthi Panchayat – 3
The number of members remained 190 till the second assembly elections.
In the power show between Haribhau Upadhyay and Sukhadia for the post of Chief Minister, Haribhau withdrew his name at the last moment and Mohanlal Sukhadia was again elected as the leader of the party and remained on the post of Chief Minister.

By-elections

During the tenure of the first assembly, by-elections were held in 17 areas.
This is the record of maximum by-elections till date.

Second Assembly (1957 – 1962)

The number of members in the first assembly was 160.
After the reorganization of states on 1 November 1956, Ajmer state merged with Rajasthan.
30 members of Ajmer assembly were included in Rajasthan assembly.
Thus, by the 1957 general election, the number of members in Rajasthan assembly became 190.
Later, the assembly constituencies were demarcated again, as a result of which the number of members decreased to 176.
When the second assembly elections were held in 1957, Jayanarayan Vyas was the state Congress president and Mohan Lal Sukhadia was the Chief Minister.
Before the second general election, in 1956, small landlords had started the ‘bhu-swami’ movement.
Till date, the maximum number of meetings (306) were held in the second assembly.

Election and results:

In this election, out of 176 seats, 5 seats were elected unopposed.
Thus, elections were held only on 171 seats.
Seats obtained –

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress	119 (5 निर्विरोध)
Ram Rajya Parishad	17
Bharatiya Jana Sangh	6
Praja Samajwadi Dal	1
Communist Party of India	1
Independent	32
total	176

Constitution of the Second Assembly

The Second Assembly was constituted on April 2, 1957.
After the election results, the leader of the Congress Legislative Party, Shri Mohanlal Sukhadia, formed his cabinet on April 11, 1957.
This cabinet remained in operation till March 11, 1962.

By-elections:

A total of 6 by-elections were held during the period of the Second Assembly (1957-1962), including two by-elections held in the Mahua area of Sawai Madhopur district.
After this, the political influence of the Ram Rajya Parishad and the Jan Sangh began to weaken. The Swatantra Party emerged.

Rise of Ram Rajya Parishad

This party was founded in 1948 by Karpatri Maharaj (Swami Hariharanand Saraswati) with the concept of Hindu Rashtra.
It was the first party to give prominence to religious issues in the politics of Rajasthan.

Rise of Bharatiya Jana Sangh

Bharatiya Jana Sangh was founded on 21 October 1951.
Founder Chairman: Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
Jan Sangh was founded with the support of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which gave it the identity of a Hindutva nationalist party.

Rise of Swatantra Party

The rise of Swatantra Party was an important event in the politics of Rajasthan.
Political party founded by C. Rajagopalachari in 1959.
The party was founded by the kings and maharajas of former princely states.
The party’s objectives included promotion of private trade, nationalization of private enterprises, land ceilings, and opposition to Congress policies.
The Swatantra Party was committed to social justice and supported equal opportunities for all, without discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, or political affiliation.
Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur joined the party in 1961 and became the national vice-president of the party.

Third Assembly (1962–67)

In this election, the constituencies were re-delimited.
The two-member constituencies were abolished and all constituencies were made single-member.

Election and results:

In this election, elections were held on 176 seats. Seats obtained –

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress	88
Swatantra Party	36 (Became the 2nd largest party)
Bharatiya Jana Sangh	15
Communist Party of India	5
Samajwadi Party	5
Ram Rajya Parishad	3
Praja Samajwadi Dal	2
Independent	22
Total	176

Constitution of the Third Assembly

The Third Assembly was constituted on March 3, 1962.
The new cabinet under the leadership of Mohanlal Sukhadia was sworn in on March 12, 1962.
This cabinet functioned till March 13, 1967, when President’s rule was imposed in the state.

By-elections:

A total of 5 by-elections were held during the Third Assembly (1962-1967).

4th Assembly (1967–1972)

Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India at the time of the 1967 elections.
Due to opposition unity, Congress faced defeat in most of the North Indian states.

Elections and Results:

After the new delimitation, the number of assembly members increased from 176 to 184.
Seats obtained –

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress	89
Swatantra Party	49
Bharatiya Jan Sangh	22
United Samajwadi Party	8
Independent	16
Total	184

Out of the total 184 seats, Congress won 89 seats, which was 4 seats short of majority.
In this election, no candidate got elected unopposed.
Swatantra Party became the second largest party in the assembly.
All opposition parties and independent MLAs together claimed the support of 96 seats.
Governor Sampurnanand invited the leader of the largest party, Mohanlal Sukhadia, to form the government, which was opposed by the opposition.
During the protest in Johri Bazar, Jaipur, police firing took place, in which 9 people died.
Berry Commission was formed to investigate this incident.
Seeing the atmosphere of chaos and protest, Sukhadia refused to form the government.
In 1967, the then Governor Sampurnanand recommended President’s rule to the Center instead of giving the opposition parties a chance to form the government.
Due to instability and unrest in the state, President’s rule was imposed on March 13, 1967 and the assembly was suspended. But was not dissolved.
President’s rule was imposed for about 45 days.
On April 15, 1967, the term of Governor Dr. Sampurnanand ended.
On April 16, 1967, the new Governor Sardar Hukum Singh took charge.
During President’s rule, Sukhadia gathered majority by changing parties. On April 26, 1967, Governor Sardar Hukum Singh administered the oath of Chief Ministership to Sukhadia.
On October 22, 1967, Sukhadia again expanded his cabinet, in which 4 Parliamentary Secretaries were administered the oath. For the first time in Rajasthan, the provision of the post of Minister of State and Parliamentary Secretary was made.
In the 1969 Presidential election, Sukhadia supported the official candidate of Congress, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy.
He became a supporter of “Syndicate Congress” instead of Indira Gandhi’s “Indicate Congress”.
On the instructions of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Mohanlal Sukhadia resigned from his cabinet on July 8, 1971. Thus, Sukhadia led the state for 17 years and set a record which still stands.
After Sukhadia’s resignation, Barkatulla Khan was appointed Chief Minister.
The appointment of Barkatulla Khan marked the beginning of the interference of the Congress high command, which continues even today.
On July 9, 1971, Barkatulla Khan’s cabinet was sworn in.
On September 4, 1971, Onkarlal Chauhan was included in the cabinet, but he was not a member of the Legislative Assembly. Therefore, he had to resign on March 3, 1972.

Fifth Assembly (1972–1977)

The 1972 assembly election was held in the backdrop of the Bangladesh Liberation War.
At this time Indira Gandhi was the sole leader of Indian politics.
At the time of the election Barkatulla Khan was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.

Election and result:

Out of the total 184 constituencies of the assembly, Congress candidate Nideshrai Dangi was elected unopposed from Desuri (reserved Scheduled Caste) constituency of Pali district.
Thus, voting took place in 183 constituencies.
Seats won –

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress	145(Historically won seats) + 01(Unopposed)
Swatantra Party	11
Bharatiya Jana Sangh	8
Communist Party of India (CPI)	4
Socialist Party	4
Independent	11
Total	184

Congress won a record 145 seats (out of a total of 184).
The Swatantra Party came second, winning 11 seats.
This was Congress’s biggest victory in terms of assembly seat percentage, since in 1998 Congress had won 153 seats, but the total seats were 200.

Fifth Assembly constituted-

After the assembly elections, Barkatulla Khan was unanimously elected leader of the Congress Legislative Party.
The Fifth Assembly was constituted on March 15, 1972.
Barkatulla Khan took oath as Chief Minister for the second time on March 16, 1972.
He died suddenly on October 11, 1973, making him the only Chief Minister of Rajasthan to have died while in office.
On the same day, Haridev Joshi was sworn in as Chief Minister.
In the Congress Legislature Party meeting held on 22 October 1973, Haridev Joshi and Ramniwas Mirdha competed for the post of Chief Minister.
Haridev Joshi, having secured majority, was sworn in as Chief Minister again on 25 October 1973 (Diwali day).
Haridev Joshi remained Chief Minister till 1977.
This Assembly witnessed both Article 352 (National Emergency) and President’s Rule.
- Article 352 (National Emergency):
  - During 1975-77, Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in the country on the grounds of internal disturbance.
  - The Governor of Rajasthan at that time was Sardar Jogendra Singh and the Chief Minister was Haridev Joshi.
  - This Emergency lasted for 54 days in Rajasthan.
  - There were political arrests, harsh government policies, repression and violation of civil liberties, which made the government unpopular.
- Article 356 (President’s Rule):
  - After the Emergency ended in February 1977 and after the Lok Sabha elections in March 1977, as soon as the Janata Party government came to power at the Centre (the first non-Congress government at the Centre), on 29 April 1977, the acting Governor Vedpal Tyagi dismissed the Haridev Joshi government and dissolved the Assembly.
  - Thus, President’s rule was imposed in the state (for the second time after 1967).
Rajasthan had the longest-running Assembly till date.

By-elections:

During this period, by-elections were held in a total of five constituencies.

Rise of Janata Party

After the end of the Emergency, leaders of various opposition parties such as Congress (O), Jan Sangh, Bharatiya Lok Dal, and Socialist Party formed a new party “Janata Party”.
The Janata Party played the role of resistance to the Congress at the national and state levels.

Conclusion of Congress Dominance (1952-1977)

Political Dominance of Congress

Congress consistently won the assembly elections of 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972 in Rajasthan.
In 1967, Congress did not get a clear majority but formed the government through manipulation.

Lack of strong opposition

There was presence of opposition parties like Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS), Swatantra Party, Samajwadi Party, Communist Party (CPI), Lok Dal etc. but they could not challenge the dominance of Congress.
Jan Sangh won some seats in the elections of 1962 and 1967 but it failed to remove Congress from power.

Socio-economic support of Congress

Congress had the support of rural people and small traders, farmers (Jat, Meena, other OBCs), Dalits and tribals.
Urban and upper class Rajputs and Brahmins were inclined towards Jan Sangh and Swatantra Party.

Policy Influence and Administrative Stability

During Congress rule, massive industrialization, irrigation projects, and agricultural reforms were promoted.
The foundation of Panchayati Raj system (1959), Green Revolution (1960s), and industrial development was laid in Rajasthan.
Land reforms (Zamindari Abolition) and agricultural development schemes were promoted, which benefited the rural economy.

Administrative and Leadership Stability

The main leader of Congress in Rajasthan was Mohanlal Sukhadia, who was the Chief Minister from 1954 to 1971.
In 1971, Indira Gandhi made Barkatulla Khan the Chief Minister, but he died prematurely.
Haridev Joshi was the Chief Minister from 1973-1977.

Emergency and Decline of Congress (1975-1977)

The Emergency of 1975-77 weakened the popularity of Congress.
In the 1977 elections, Congress was out of power for the first time and the Janata Party formed the government in Rajasthan too.

Political stability and strengthening of democracy

This period witnessed political stability because of the strong leadership of the Congress.

Although the opposition was weak, democratic processes continued and public discontent gradually grew.
When the Congress lost in 1977, it proved that electoral competition and change of power is possible in Indian democracy.

End of Congress Dominance (1977)

The Emergency in 1977 was followed by the rise of the Janata Party, which for the first time ousted the Congress from power in Rajasthan.
In the 1977 election, the Janata Party won 152 seats and ousted the Congress from power, and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat became the Chief Minister.
This was the end of the era of one-party dominance of the Congress and the beginning of biparty politics.

End of the Congress System (1977–1980)

Sixth Assembly (1977–1980)

The 1977 election was a referendum against the Emergency (1975-77) imposed by Indira Gandhi.
In the elections held after the Emergency, Congress lost both at the Centre and state levels.
In the 1977 Lok Sabha election, Congress won only 1 seat out of 25.
Nathuram Mirdha was the only MP to win from Nagaur on a Congress ticket.
The Janata Party won the remaining 24 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan.

Election Result:

Delimitation took place before the election, increasing the number of assembly seats in Rajasthan from 184 to 200.

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress	41
Janata Party	152
Communist Party of India (CPI)(M)	1
Communist Party of India (CPI)	1
Independent	5
Total	200

The Janata Party won 152 seats and obtained a three-fourth majority.
There was a possibility of a two-party system emerging in Rajasthan instead of multi-party politics, but it could not be fully established.

Formation of the Sixth Assembly

The Sixth Assembly was formed on June 22, 1977.
There was a contest between Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Master Adityandra as the leader of the legislative party, in which Bhairon Singh Shekhawat emerged victorious.
On June 22, 1977, Shekhawat took oath as the first non-Congress Chief Minister of the state.
Shekhawat formed the Berry Commission to investigate the corruption of Congress governments.
When Bhairon Singh Shekhawat took oath as Chief Minister, he was not an MLA, but a Rajya Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh.
Later, on October 18, 1977, he won the by-election from Chhabra area of Kota district and got the assembly membership.
Maharawal Laxman Singh, who was the first non-Congress Speaker of the Sixth Assembly, became the Speaker of the Assembly.
After his resignation, Gopal Singh Ahore was made the Speaker of the Assembly.
Later Gopal Singh Ahore became the Governor of Goa.
Maharawal Laxman Singh, Daulat Ram Saharan and other leaders presented a no-confidence motion against their own government.
However, this motion failed and the government remained stable.
The Janata Party government could not complete its five-year term.
After the formation of Indira Gandhi’s Congress government at the Center in 1980, President’s rule was imposed in Rajasthan.
After this, Governor Raghukul Tilak dismissed the Bhairon Singh Shekhawat government on February 16, 1980 and dissolved the Assembly.
This was the third President’s rule in Rajasthan after 1967 and 1977.
Its tenure was the shortest in the history of Rajasthan.
The Sixth Assembly was the first Assembly of Rajasthan in which mid-term elections were held.
After the Lok Sabha mid-term elections in January, 1980, the Congress (I) government regained power at the Centre.
The Congress dissolved the assemblies of several states including Rajasthan.
The experiment of a united opposition against the Congress was not successful.

By-elections:

A total of three by-elections were held during the period of the Sixth Assembly (1977-1980).

Rise of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

After the failure of Janata Party, a new party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was formed by the members of Janata Party in 1980.
With the issues of Ram Mandir and Hindutva, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) started increasing its influence in politics.
At the inaugural session of BJP in Mumbai in 1980, Atal Bihari Vajpayee said that BJP is not a new form of Jan Sangh but represents the aspirations of Jayaprakash Narayan.

Restoration of Congress (1980–1990)

With Indira Gandhi’s victory in 1971, internal democracy in the Congress ended.
After 1970, the party came under the complete dominance of the Gandhi family.
From 1970 to 1990, only persons nominated by Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi became the Chief Ministers of Rajasthan.
The Janata Party disintegrated in 1980, which weakened the opposition.
With the issues of Ram Mandir and Hindutva, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) started increasing its influence in politics.
Between 1980 and 1990, there was competition between various factions in the Congress to get the attention of the high command.
The Bofors gun scam created an atmosphere against the Congress and ultimately weakened its hold.
In the assembly elections (1980 and 1985), the Congress formed the government with a clear majority.
In these 10 years, 6 different ministries of the Congress were formed, which led to instability.
During this period, 6 Chief Ministers were elected in Rajasthan:
1. Jagannath Pahadia (1980-81)
2. Shiv Charan Mathur (1981-1985)
3. Hiralal Devpura (1985, 15 days)
4. Haridev Joshi
5. Again Shiv Charan Mathur
6. Again Haridev Joshi

Seventh Assembly (1980–1985)

The 1980 assembly election was Rajasthan’s first mid-term election (the second was held in 1993).

Election and results:

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress (I)	133
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	32
Communist Party of India (CPI)(M)	1
Communist Party of India (CPI)	1
Indian National Congress (U)	6
Janata Party (SECULAR) – CH. CHARAN SINGH	7
Janata party (JP)	8
Independent	12
Total	200

Congress won 133 seats.
The newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 32 seats.

Constitution of the Seventh Assembly

The Seventh Assembly was constituted on June 6, 1980, due to the dissolution of the Sixth Assembly.
The Seventh Assembly saw three Chief Ministers –
1. Jagannath Pahadia
2. Shiv Charan Mathur
3. Hiralal Devpura.
Jagannath Pahadia was elected leader of the Congress (I) Legislative Party at a meeting held in New Delhi on June 5, 1980 in the presence of Sanjay Gandhi.
He was sworn in as Chief Minister on June 6, 1980 at Jaipur.
Pahadia was not a member of the Assembly at this time, serving as a Member of Lok Sabha from Bayana (Bharatpur) constituency and a Union Minister.
He was elected MLA on November 23, 1980, when he won the election from Vaira (Bharatpur) assembly seat, which fell vacant after the resignation of his wife Shanti Pahadia.
After Sanjay Gandhi’s death, opposition against Pahadia started.
Due to internal opposition and infighting in the ruling party, the Pahadia cabinet (in power for 13 months) resigned on July 12, 1981 on the instructions of the Congress (I) high leadership, which was accepted on July 13, 1981.
After Pahadia’s resignation, Shiv Charan Mathur was elected as the new leader in the Congress (I) Legislature Party meeting on July 14, 1981.
He was sworn in as Chief Minister on July 14, 1981 and this cabinet continued till 1985.
Shiv Charan Mathur resigned along with his cabinet on February 23, 1985 on the instructions of the Congress high leadership (Rajiv Gandhi) to deal with the volatile situation arising out of the death of independent candidate Raja Man Singh due to police firing during election campaign in Deeg on February 21, 1985.
Hiralal Devpura was appointed Chief Minister on February 23, 1985 and took oath of office on the same day.
This cabinet continued to function till March 10, 1985, when the election results were declared and a new government was formed.
His tenure lasted only 15 days, which is the shortest Chief Ministerial tenure in the history of Rajasthan.

By-elections:

A total of four by-elections were held during the Seventh Assembly (1980–1985).

Eighth Assembly (1985–1990)

Elections and Results:

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress (INC)	113
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	39
Communist Party of India (CPI)	1
Lok Dal	27
Janata Dal	10
Independent	10
Total	200

BJP established itself as the main opposition in the electoral politics of Rajasthan.
BJP’s seats and vote percentage increased, due to which the state’s politics moved from one-party dominance of Congress to a two-party system.

Formation of the Eighth Assembly

On March 9, 1985, a notification was issued for the formation of the Eighth Assembly.
The Eighth Assembly saw three Chief Ministers
1. Haridev Joshi
2. Shiv Charan Mathur
3. Haridev Joshi again.
On March 9, 1985, Haridev Joshi was elected leader of the Congress (I) Legislative Party.
On March 10, 1985, he took over the reins of the state for the second time and took oath as Chief Minister.
On September 4, 1987, the Roop Kanwar Sati incident took place in Diwarala village of Sikar district of Rajasthan. The opposition became aggressive over this matter.
On January 18, 1988, on the instructions of the high leadership of Congress (I), Haridev Joshi submitted the resignation of his cabinet to the Governor.
This resignation was accepted on 20 January 1988.
After Haridev Joshi’s resignation, Shiv Charan Mathur became the Chief Minister for the second time on 20 January 1988.
During Shiv Charan Mathur’s tenure, discontent arose in the Congress (I) Legislature Party.
On 17 March 1989, the disgruntled MLAs boycotted the proceedings of the Assembly and pressed for a change in leadership.
In the ninth Lok Sabha election (November 1989), Congress (I) faced an unprecedented defeat. Congress did not get a single seat in Rajasthan (Congress lost 25 out of 25 seats). Due to which the Mathur cabinet resigned on 29 November 1989, which was accepted by the Governor on the same day.
After the crushing defeat in the election, Shiv Charan Mathur resigned.
After Mathur’s resignation, Haridev Joshi was again elected the leader of the Congress (I) Legislature Party on 3 December 1989.
Haridev Joshi was called back from the post of Governor of Assam and made the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for the third time.
He was invited by the Governor to take oath, but the Governor did not reach the swearing-in ceremony by the scheduled time, which created a constitutional crisis.
- The reason behind this incident was that the President did not accept Joshi’s resignation from the post of Governor of Assam, Governor Sukhdev Prasad postponed his swearing-in process for a day.
- Later the President accepted Joshi’s resignation.
- On December 4, 1989, Governor Sukhdev Prasad administered the oath of office to Haridev Joshi as Chief Minister for the third time.

Results of the Re-establishment of Congress (1980-1990)

Congress returns to power (1980)

Due to the instability and internal strife of the Janata Party government, Congress regained power under the leadership of Indira Gandhi in the 1980 elections.
Congress benefited from the internal divisions and weak organizational position of the opposition parties.

Congress dominance in Rajasthan continued

Congress won a clear majority in the assembly elections of 1980 and 1985.
During this period, governments were formed under the leadership of leaders like Shiv Charan Mathur and Haridev Joshi.

Policy reforms and development work

During this period, the Congress government gave priority to industrialization, irrigation projects and social welfare schemes.
Emphasis was laid on expansion of electricity, roads and education in rural areas.

Political stability remained

Congress rule in Rajasthan remained relatively stable in the decade of 1980-1990.
The government implemented administrative reforms and new schemes in the agricultural sector.

Rise of BJP and challenge for Congress

The 1989 Lok Sabha elections saw the BJP emerge as a strong opposition in state politics.
This was a signal that the Congress would face a new political challenge in the future.

The beginning of the end of Congress dominance

The Congress faced defeat in the 1990 elections and a BJP-Janmasangh coalition government was formed.
This marked the end of the long era of Congress dominance and the beginning of multiparty competition.

Era of coalition governments (transition period) (1990-98)

Both times BJP did not get a clear majority, due to which instability persisted.
During this period there were minority governments, due to which the dignity of the post of Chief Minister was affected.
The cabinet had to be expanded unnecessarily to save the government.
Incidents of defection increased, due to which political instability persisted.
The rise of Janata Dal in 1989 had created the possibility of the rise of a third power in Rajasthan, but this possibility ended quickly due to the division of Janata Dal in the state and its disintegration at the national level.

Ninth Assembly (1990–1992)

Elections and results:

The 200 seats in the Assembly remained unchanged.

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress (INC)	50
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	85
Communist Party of India (CPI(M))	1
Janata Dal	55
Independent	9
Total	200

Fragmented mandate: BJP became the single largest party and won 85 seats. Janata Dal came second with 54 seats and Congress came third with 50 seats.
Like in 1967, no party got a clear majority.
After the results of the ninth assembly elections were declared and Congress (I) did not get a majority, Joshi cabinet submitted its resignation to the Governor on 1 March 1990, which was accepted the same day.
BJP’s Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was elected from two seats (Chhabra and Dholpur), due to which BJP’s number of members remained 84.

Formation of the ninth assembly

On 2 March 1990, the Governor issued a notification for the formation of the ninth assembly.
On 3 March 1990, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was elected the leader of the BJP legislative party.
BJP formed the government with Janata Dal and on March 4, 1990, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat became Chief Minister for the second time (the first was in 1977-1980).
National politics became unstable in 1990:
- On October 23, 1990, Lalu Prasad Yadav stopped LK Advani’s “Ramrath Yatra” in Bihar.
- BJP withdrew support from the government of Prime Minister V.P. Singh (Janata Dal).
- In response, Janata Dal withdrew support from the Shekhawat government in Rajasthan.
- Janata Dal split and a new faction called “Janata Dal (Digvijay)” was formed, which saved the Shekhawat government by supporting it.
- On November 8, 1990, a special session of the Assembly began, in which Chief Minister Shekhawat presented a one-sentence confidence motion: “This House expresses confidence in the present government.”
- After the debate on the confidence motion, a division of votes was held, with 116 votes in favour and 80 against.
On 6 December 1992, the Governor submitted a report based on the failure of the State Government to effectively curb the activities of five banned organisations by the Central Government after the demolition of the Babri Masjid. President Shankar Dayal Sharma dismissed the BJP-ruled governments of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh on the recommendation of Prime Minister Narasimha Rao.
The Shekhawat government in Rajasthan was also dismissed and the Assembly was dissolved on 15 December 1992.
The second government of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (1990-1992) also could not complete its term and President’s rule was imposed.
President’s rule was imposed for the fourth time in Rajasthan (after 1967, 1977, 1980).
The Governor was M. Chenna Reddy.
The Ninth Assembly was the second assembly of Rajasthan whose term was incomplete (the first incomplete assembly was the Sixth Assembly of 1977-1980).
Mid-term elections were announced in 1993.

By-elections:

A total of five by-elections were held in the state during the Ninth Assembly (1990-1992).

Tenth Assembly (1993–1998)

After the removal of President’s rule in 1993, mid-term elections were held for the second time in Rajasthan.
The 1993 elections started a new trend in party politics in Rajasthan – ‘two-party system’, which continues till date.
Since 1993, BJP and Congress have been the two major political parties in Rajasthan politics.
The influence of other parties remained limited and they could not create a strong mass base.

Elections and results:

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress (INC)	95
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	76
Communist Party of India (CPI(M))	1
Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))	6
Independent	21
Total	200

On 12 October 1993, the Election Commission of India issued a notification for the election of the 10th Assembly.
Fragmented mandate: In these elections held in the backdrop of Ram Mandir and Babri demolition, BJP won 95 seats, while Congress came second with 76 seats.
After the elections, the Janata Dal split, in which 3 of its 6 members joined the BJP.
This increased the number of BJP members to 98, while the number of Janata Dal members decreased to 3.

Formation of the 10th Assembly

After the election results, the Election Commission of India announced the formation of the new Assembly and the names of the elected MLAs on 4 December 1993.
The Union Home Ministry announced the end of President’s rule in the state on the same day.
No party got a clear majority, the BJP government was formed with the support of independents and on 4 December 1993, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat became the Chief Minister for the third time.
Harishankar Bhabhra, who was the speaker in 1990-92, became the speaker again, but resigned after two years and became the deputy chief minister.

Major reason for bipartisan politics:

Effectiveness of anti-incumbency factor, in which issues like employment, inflation and women’s safety were given priority.

Conclusions of the Era of Coalition Governments (Transition Period) (1990-1998)

End of Congress dominance and beginning of coalition era

In the 1990 assembly elections, the BJP and Janata Dal alliance ousted the Congress from power.
For the first time, a coalition government was formed in the state instead of an absolute majority.

Political instability

During this period, governments remained unstable and there were frequent changes.
Many coalition governments were formed and broken between 1990-1998.

Leadership of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and rise of BJP

In 1990, a BJP-Janata Dal coalition government was formed and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat became the Chief Minister.
BJP gradually emerged as an alternative to Congress.

Weakness of Janata Dal and other regional parties

Due to internal divisions and weak organizational position of Janata Dal and other small parties, they could not form an effective government.
Political equations changed rapidly after the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992.

BJP’s minority government in 1993

BJP became the largest party in the 1993 elections, but did not get absolute majority.
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat formed the government with the support of independent MLAs and smaller parties.

Limitations of coalition governments

The continuity of administrative policies was affected in coalition governments.
Allegations of instability and corruption in policy-making increased.

Background for Congress’s return prepared

In 1998, discontent grew in the Janata alliance and Congress got a chance to return to power.
Under the leadership of Ashok Gehlot, Congress won the 1998 elections and formed the government with absolute majority.

Establishment of a clear two-party system (1998 to present)

The politics of the state has not only been bipartisan since 2003, but it has also taken the form of a direct competition between two individuals.
On one hand, Vasundhara Raje was the main face of the BJP, while on the other hand, the leadership of the Congress was in the hands of Ashok Gehlot.
In the elections after 2003, the process of change of power between the BJP and the Congress continued.
The BSP won 6 seats each in 2008 and 2018, but it could not permanently create a mass base as the third largest party

Political period:

Congress government formed:
- Eleventh Assembly (1998-2003)
- Thirteenth Assembly (2008-2013)
- Fifteenth Assembly (2018-2023)
BJP government formed:
- Twelfth Assembly (2003-2008)
- Fourteenth Assembly (2013-2018)
- Sixteenth Assembly (continuously since 2023)

Eleventh Assembly (1998–2003)

In the elections held in November 1998, the public was upset with the rising prices of onion, which caused losses to the Shekhawat government.
Due to this, the BJP had to face a crushing defeat in the 1998 assembly elections.
After the elections of the twelfth Lok Sabha in 1998, the elections of the eleventh assembly were held.

Elections and results:

Elections were held under the leadership of Congress state president Ashok Gehlot.
Congress won 153 seats, which is the highest record of Congress in Rajasthan till date. (Earlier in 1972 there were 145 seats)
BJP was able to win only 33 seats.

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress (INC)	153
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	33
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)	2
Communist Party of India (CPI(M))	1
Rashtriya Janata Dal	1
Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))	3
Independent	7
Total	200

Formation of Eleventh Assembly

On 1 December 1998, a notification was issued for the formation of the Eleventh Assembly.
The Congress Legislature Party unanimously elected Ashok Gehlot as the leader.
Gehlot took over as the Chief Minister of the state.
Gehlot was a non-MLA, and he was a Lok Sabha member from Jodhpur constituency. Later, Sardarpura assembly seat of Jodhpur was vacated for him. At that time, Congress MLA from Sardarpura was Mansingh Deora. On 22 February 1999, a by-election was held in Sardarpur area of Jodhpur city, in which Ashok Gehlot won.
Parasram Maderna became the Speaker of the Assembly.
In the last years of the tenure, Banwari Lal Bairwa and Mrs. Kamla Beniwal were made Deputy Chief Ministers.

By-elections

During the tenure of the Eleventh Assembly, by-elections were held in a total of 13 assembly constituencies.
The number of women MLAs in the Assembly was 14.

Twelfth Assembly (2003–2008)

The term of the Eleventh Assembly was till January 3, 2004, but the Election Commission held the elections for the Twelfth Assembly a month earlier on December 1, 2003.
The counting of votes took place on December 4, 2003 and the new government took charge on December 8, 2003.
Electronic voting machines were used for the first time in this election. The number of polling stations was 35,703.

Election and results:

BJP won 120 seats, while Congress was reduced to 56 seats.
This was the first time that BJP got a clear majority in Rajasthan. The Bhairon Singh Shekhawat governments formed in 1990 and 1993 did not have an absolute majority.
In the 2003 elections, the Gehlot government was defeated due to Jat reservation and resentment of government employees.
BJP benefited from the strategy of ‘Parivartan Yatras’, ‘change of dress’ and ‘participation of women’.

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress (INC)	56
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	120
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)	4
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)	2
Communist Party of India (CPI(M))	1
Lok Jan Shakti Party	1
Rajasthan Social News Forum	1
Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))	2
Independent	13
Total	200

Formation of the Twelfth Assembly

On December 5, 2003, the notification was issued to dissolve the Eleventh Assembly and form the Twelfth Assembly.
Vasundhara Raje was elected the leader of the Legislative Party in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
On December 8, 2003, she took oath as the thirteenth Chief Minister of the state.
Vasundhara Raje became the Chief Minister, and Sumitra Singh became the Speaker of the Assembly.
This was the first time that the two top posts of the state were held by women.
A year later, Pratibha Patil became the Governor, bringing all three top posts to women.
The 2003 elections saw the use of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) for the first time across the state.
12 women MLAs were elected in the 12th Vidhan Sabha.

Thirteenth Assembly (2008–2013)

Delimitation led to changes in the reserved assembly constituencies for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
At present in Rajasthan –
- 34 seats are reserved for SCs and 25 for STs in the assembly.
- 4 seats are reserved for SCs and 3 for STs in the Lok Sabha (out of a total of 25).

Elections and Results:

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress (INC)	96
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	78
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)	6
Communist Party of India (CPI(M))	3
Loktantrik Samajwadi Party	1
Samajwadi Party	1
Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))	1
Independent	14
Total	200

No party got a clear majority in the 2008 elections.
28 women became MLAs (13 each from Congress and BJP, 2 independents).

Formation of the Thirteenth Assembly

On 11 December 2008, notification was issued for the formation of the Eleventh Assembly.
With the support of Independents and BSP, Congress formed the government. On 13 December 2008, Ashok Gehlot took oath for the second time as the 23rd Chief Minister of the state.
Dipendra Singh Shekhawat became the Speaker of the Assembly.
Later BSP merged with Congress.

Fourteenth Assembly (2013–2018)

Election and results:

In 2013, elections were held on 199 seats only. During this time, BSP candidate Jagdish Meghwal died of a heart attack in Churu assembly constituency.
BJP won a record 163 seats, the highest ever by any party.
Congress had its worst performance ever, winning only 21 seats.
28 women became MLAs (like the 13th Assembly).

Party	Seats Won
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	163
Indian National Congress (INC)	21
Independent	7
National People’s Party (NPP)	4
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)	3
National Unionist Zamindara Party (NUZP)	2
Communist Party of India (CPI(M))	0
Samajwadi Party (SP)	0
Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))	0
Total	200

Formation of Fourteenth Assembly

Notification for formation of Eleventh Assembly was issued on 11 December 2013.
On 11 December 2013, Smt. Vasundhara Raje became Chief Minister for the second time with an overwhelming majority.
Kailash Meghwal (SC) became the first Scheduled Caste Speaker of Rajasthan Assembly.
Like 2003, elections were held with EVMs throughout the state.

Rajasthan 2014 Lok Sabha Election Results

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won all 15 Lok Sabha seats from Rajasthan.

Fifteenth Assembly (2018–2023)

Elections and results:

Elections were held on 199 seats (Poll in Ramgarh seat was postponed to a date to be notified later by the Returning Officer under sub-section (1)(c) of section 52 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 due to the death of the BSP candidate. A by-election was held on 28 January 2019. Sufia Zubair of Congress won the by-election).

Party	Seats won
Indian National Congress (INC)	100
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	73
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)	6
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party(RLTP)	3
Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP)	2
Communist Party of India (CPI(M)	02
Rashtriya Lok Dal(RLD)	1
Independent (IND)	13
National Unionist Zamindara Party (NUZP)	–
National People’s Party (NPP)	–
Total	200

No party got a clear majority.
Congress formed the government with the support of BSP and independents.
- Ashok Gehlot: Chief Minister
- Sachin Pilot: Deputy Chief Minister
- CP Joshi: Assembly Speaker
Women MLAs:
- Initially 23 women won.
- After by-elections, the number increased to 27 (there were 28 women each in 2013 and 2008).
- Winning women MLAs:
  - Congress: 15
  - BJP: 10
  - RLP: 1
  - Independent: 1 (Ramila Khadiya, Kushalgarh-Banswara)
8 women MLAs from Scheduled Caste and 3 from Scheduled Tribe were elected.
Voting percentage: 74.72% (0.95% less than last election, 75.67% in 2013).
Women voting was 0.86% more than men.
Vote percentage:
- Congress: 39.30%
- BJP: 38.77% (6.37% less votes than last time, loss of 91 seats)
- Congress got 6.23% more votes and gained 79 seats.
Highest voter turnout: Pokaran (Jaisalmer) 87.45%.
Lowest voter turnout: Pali district 64.65%.
In September 2019, 6 BSP MLAs merged with Congress, which was approved by the Speaker of the Assembly.

Formation of the fifteenth assembly

On December 12, 2018, the notification for the formation of the fifteenth assembly was issued.
Kalyan Singh administered the oath of office to Ashok Gehlot as Chief Minister, the swearing-in ceremony took place at Albert Hall (Ramniwas Bagh).
Maximum 4 women MLAs were elected from Jodhpur.
Pro tem Speaker: Gulab Chand Kataria (later became Leader of Opposition).
Government Chief Whip: Mahesh Joshi.
Biggest victory margin: BJP candidate Kailash Meghwal from Shahpura (Bhilwara) (by a margin of 75542 votes, he was also the oldest MLA).
Lowest victory margin: BJP candidate Jhabbar Singh from Aasind (Bhilwara) (by a margin of 154 votes).

Rajasthan 2019 Lok Sabha Election Results

Party	Seats won
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (INC)	24
Indian National Congress	0
Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP)	0
Communist Party of India (CPI(M)	0
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party(RLTP)	1
Total	25

Sixteenth Legislative Assembly (Continuously from 2023)

The election was postponed due to the death of Congress party candidate Gurmeet Singh Kunnar from Srikaranpur assembly seat of Sri Ganganagar district.
In the subsequent election held on 5 January 2024 on Srikaranpur seat, Congress candidate Rupendra Singh Kunnar defeated BJP candidate Surendrapal Singh TT. To win this seat, BJP had awarded its candidate Surendrapal Singh TT with the post of minister even before the election.
Total 200 seats
- General -141
- Scheduled Caste – 34
- Scheduled Tribe – 25
Before the by-election in the 16th Assembly, the number of women MLAs was 20.
In the by-election, BJP’s Shanta Meena has won the Salumber assembly seat, due to which the number of women MLAs has increased to 21. BJP now has ten women MLAs. The number of women MLAs of Congress is 9. Two MLAs have been elected as independents.

Formation of the Sixteenth Legislative Assembly

On 04 December 2023, a notification was issued regarding the formation of the Sixteenth Legislative Assembly.
Bhajan Lal Sharma took oath as the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan on 15 December 2023, along with two Deputy Chief Ministers Diya Kumari and Dr. Prem Chand Bairwa.

Rise of Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP)

In September 2023, there was a split in the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP).
Rajkumar Roat and Ramprasad formed a new party called Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP).

Rajasthan 2024 Lok Sabha Election Result

Party	Seats won
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	14
Indian National Congress (INC)	8
Bharatiya Adivasi Party (BAP)	1
Communist Party of India (CPI(M)	1
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party(RLTP)	1
Total	25

Party-wise Performance in Rajasthan Assembly: Seats, Vote Share & Current Status

Party	ElectionSymbol	Voting on 199 seats(25 November 2023)	Status of 200 seats after voting on remaining 01 seat (6 January 2023)		By-election on 7 seats(13 November 2024)		Current status
Party	ElectionSymbol	Seats won	Seats won	Vote share percentage	Seat held earlier	Seat won later	Current status
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	Lotus	115	115	42.1 %	1	5	119
Indian National Congress (INC)	Hand	69	70 (01 सीट कांग्रेस जीती)	40 %	4	1	67
Bharati Adivasi Party (BAP)	Hockey-ball	3	3	2.4 %	1	1	3
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)	Elephant	2	2	1.8 %	0	0	2
Rashtriya Lok Dal(RLD)	Handpump	1	1	–	1	–	–
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party(RLTP)	Bottle	1	1	2.4 %	–	–	1
Independent (IND)	–	8	8	7.5 %	–	–	8
Communist Party of India (CPI(M)	Hammer, Sickle and Star	–	–	–	–	–	–
National Unionist Zamindara Party (NUZP)	Telephone	–	–	–	–	–	–
National People’s Party (NPP)	Book	–	–	–	–	–	–
Total	–	199	200	–	7	7	200

Brief description of political developments in Rajasthan from 1952-2024

Congress vs Feudalism Conflict in 1952, 1962 and 1967

Except for the 1957 election, there was a conflict between Congress and feudal forces in 1952, 1962 and 1967.
In the 1967 election, there was a difference of only 6 MLAs between Congress (89) and opposition parties (95).
The non-Congress parties requested the Governor Dr. Sampurnanand to form the government, but they failed to choose a leader.
On 4 March 1967, the Governor invited the largest party (Congress) to form the government, which led to protests in Jaipur.
On 7 March 1967, there was a clash between the police and the protesters in Johri Bazar.
The Bhagwati Prasad Berry Commission report confirmed excessive firing by the police (9 deaths, 49 injured).
The coalition sought an opportunity from President Dr. S. Radhakrishnan to prove majority.
The death of Maharaja Harischandra Singh of Jhalawar before the election of the Speaker of the Assembly weakened the coalition.
President’s rule was imposed for the first time in Rajasthan on 13 March 1967.
Due to bargaining, Congress got a majority, and Mohanlal Sukhadia again became the Chief Minister.

1967-1972: Congress strategy and electoral changes

In the 1967 elections, Congress faced challenges in many states.
Indira Gandhi, in order to weaken the feudal forces,
- ended the privy purses, titles, flags, and gun salutes of the kings.
Nationalized 14 banks.

Congress split into two factions—Indicate (old Congress) and Syndicate (Indira supporters).
In the 1971 mid-term Lok Sabha elections, Congress got a majority with the slogan “Garibi Hatao”.
Indira Gandhi’s prestige increased with the creation of Bangladesh after the 1971 war with Pakistan. In the 1972 assembly elections, Congress won a massive majority.
The Swatantra Party collapsed (49 MLAs in 1967, only 11 in 1972).
The leaders of the Swatantra Party joined the Congress, Rajmata Gayatri Devi left politics.

1952-1977: Rise and fall of major political parties

In the first election of 1952, 11 national parties participated, the major ones being –
- Congress, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Ram Rajya Parishad, Krishikar Lok Party, Samajwadi Party, Hindu Mahasabha etc.
Ram Rajya Parishad was the second largest party after Congress in 1952 (24 MLAs).
In 1957, Ram Rajya Parishad and Jana Sangh weakened, Congress remained strong.
In the 1962 elections, the Swatantra Party came into existence and became the second largest party after Congress.
In 1964, the Communist Party of India (CPI) split.
In 1967, United Socialist Party performed well, Republican Party contested elections for the first time, but was defeated.
In 1969, Congress split into Indicate and Syndicate.
In 1977, after the Emergency, Janata Party was formed and Congress lost.

1977-1989: Rise and Disintegration of Janata Party

In 1977, five anti-Congress parties formed Janata Party and formed the government.
In the 1980 elections, Janata Party split.
Bhartiya Jansangh formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In 1980, Charan Singh formed Janata Party (Secular), which later became Lok Dal.
In the 1984 Lok Sabha elections, Congress won all 25 seats, but in the 1985 assembly elections, the performance of non-Congress parties was better.

1985-1989: Anti-Congress Movement and Jan Morcha

V.P. Singh created an atmosphere against the Congress government over the Bofors scam.
Rashtriya Jan Morcha was formed, in which leaders of Devi Lal, Ajit Singh and Janata Party joined.
In 1989, Janata Dal was formed under the leadership of V.P. Singh, due to which Congress was defeated.
In Rajasthan, BJP-Janata Dal alliance formed the government, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat became the Chief Minister.

1990-2003: Influence of regional parties and two-party system of BJP-Congress

After 1990, small parties became active, but the main competition was between BJP and Congress.
In the 2003 assembly elections, INLD (Om Prakash Chautala), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas Paswan), Samajwadi Party (Mulayam Singh Yadav), BSP (Mayawati) etc. participated.
Two MLAs each were elected from BSP in 1998 and 2003.
A two-party system was established in Rajasthan, where the main competition was between Congress and BJP.

2003 Assembly Elections and BJP Government (2003-2008)

Election Results: BJP won with a huge majority.
Chief Minister: Vasundhara Raje became the Chief Minister, this was the first full majority government of BJP in Rajasthan.
Major events:

Launched Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan.
Launched Bhamashah Yojana for women empowerment.
Gujjar movement started, demanding reservation.
Assembly elections were held in 2008, in which Congress made a comeback.

2008 Assembly Elections and Return of Congress (2008-2013)

Election Results: Congress defeated BJP, won 96 seats.
Chief Minister: Ashok Gehlot became Chief Minister for the second time.
Major events:
- Free medicine scheme was implemented.
- Food security scheme and pension schemes were started.
- Gujjar agitation intensified and reservation issue became a big issue.
- Anti-incumbency environment was created against the Congress government in 2013.

2013 Assembly Elections and Return of BJP (2013-2018)

Election Results: BJP won 163 seats.
Chief Minister: Vasundhara Raje became Chief Minister again.
Major events:
- Bhamashah Yojana was implemented again.
- Free gas connections were given to women under Ujjwala Yojana.
- Jal Swavalamban Yojana was started.
- Raje government was criticized for anti-farmer policies and unemployment.
- Congress made a comeback in 2018.

2018 Assembly Elections and Return of Congress (2018-2023)

Election Results: Congress won 100 seats.
Chief Minister: Ashok Gehlot became Chief Minister for the third time, Sachin Pilot became Deputy Chief Minister.
Major Events:
- Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme was implemented.
- Indira Rasoi Yojana was started.
- Sachin Pilot rebelled in 2020, but the government was saved.
- Hailstorms and floods in Rajasthan caused losses to farmers.
- BJP made a comeback again in 2023.

2023 Assembly Elections and Return of BJP (2023-2024)

Election Results: BJP won 115 seats.
Chief Minister: Bhajanlal Sharma took oath on 15 December 2023.
Major Events:
- Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa were made Deputy Chief Ministers.
- Budget emphasises on infrastructure and women empowerment.
- Discussions of leadership change in Congress intensify.

Conclusion

The cycle of power change between Congress and BJP continued in Rajasthan politics after 2003.
The anti-incumbency factor played a big role in every election.
The Congress focused on social schemes, while the BJP gave priority to infrastructure and women empowerment.
The BJP again gained power in the 2023 election, changing the political balance in the state.

After independence, the people of Rajasthan gradually began to free themselves from their feudal shackles. In the initial years, Congress was dominant. However, by 1998 Rajasthan turned into a two-party system (BJP and Congress).

Different phases of political competition in Rajasthan (brief)

1. Political instability within Congress (1949-1954)

This period was marked by internal conflicts and power struggles within the Congress.
Six different ministries were formed and many chief ministers were changed, including Hiralal Shastri, C.S. Venkatachari, Jai Narayan Vyas, Tikaram Paliwal and Mohanlal Sukhadia.

2. Congress monopoly (1954-1977)

This period was mainly dominated by the Congress.
Leaders like Mohanlal Sukhadia, Barkatullah Khan and Haridev Joshi were prominent during this period.
Except in the 1967 elections, the opposition remained completely scattered and the Congress remained in power.

3. The period of opposition rule (1977-1980)

After the Emergency, the Janata Party defeated the Congress and won 151 seats.
Bhairo Singh Shekhawat became the first non-Congress Chief Minister of Rajasthan and formed the government with 3/4 majority.
During this period, unsuccessful attempts were made to bring no-confidence motions by leaders like Maharawal Laxman Singh and Daulat Ram Saharan.

4. Congress returns but plagued by factionalism (1980-1990)

Towards the end of the 1980s, the Congress started getting affected by lack of internal democracy and dynastic politics.
This decade saw six chief ministers change in Rajasthan – Jagannath Pahadia, Shiv Charan Mathur, Hiralal Devpura, Haridev Joshi, then Shiv Charan Mathur and again Haridev Joshi.

5. BJP rule without majority (1990-1998)

This period saw minority governments, decline in the dignity of the chief minister, unnecessary cabinet expansion to save the government and incidents of defections.
In 1990, the BJP formed the government with the support of the Janata Dal, later taking the support of the Janata Dal (Digvijay).
In 1993, again the BJP formed the government under the leadership of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat with the support of independents.

6. Era of two-party system (1998-present)

Since 1998, Rajasthan has been contested mainly between two major parties – BJP and Congress.
From 2003 to 2023, Rajasthan politics was mainly focused on the competition between two big leaders – Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot.