Jaipur, Mar 12: The BJP's vote share in the recent Lok sabha elections in Rajasthan fell by less than one per cent compared to the 1996 elections, according to statistics of the state election department.The BJP had won 12 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 1996 securing 42.36 per cent of the valid votes polled but it had to contend with only five seats this time as its vote share fell to 41.65 per cent - lower by 0.71 per cent.
However, the Congress, whose electoral fortunes had been fluctuating since 1989, staged a major comeback by showing a positive swing of 3.94 per cent of votes in its favour which gave it 18 seats in the 12th Lok sabha.
The Congress, which is out of power in the state since 1989, failed to win a single seat in the 1989 polls when its vote percentage fell by 36.89 per cent, which rose to 43.97 per cent in 1991, giving it 13 seats.
In the 1996 elections although the vote percentage of the Congress fell to 40.51, it could still win 12 seats.
Although the vote percentage of the Congress swung upward to 44.45 per cent but its two candidates from Jhunjhunu and Jalore (SC) respectively could not avoid the humiliation of losing their security deposits in this election.
The BJP nominees on the other hand were saved from this humiliation by securing enough votes to save their deposits.
The Lok Sabha elections also showed that the BJP and Congress were the major players in the state.
The United Front, which tried to emerge as the third force, failed as also the Bahujan Samaj Party which was trying to have a foothold in the state.
Only the union minister of state for water resources in the Gujral ministry, Sheesh Ram Ola, who contested on his own party banner of All India Indira congress (Secular), won from Jhunjhunu.
The other candidates of the United Front partners -- CPI, CPI(M), Janata Dal and Samajwadi Party -- failed to win.
Except one CPM candidate from Sikar, none of the United Front candidates could even save their security deposit.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
