BJP MLA says by-poll defeat good for party

The BJP’s defeat in three out of four assembly seats in recently held by-elections was good for the party because it was “flying high” after a thumping victory in state elections last year, according to Jagat Singh, the party’s MLA from Kaman in Bharatpur.

In a meeting of local party workers in Kaman town on Sunday, Singh, son of former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, said: “We were blinded by our victory. So it was necessary that we lose.”

“We were flying high. We got 164 (seats out of 200 in December 2013 Assembly elections). But people said alright we will give you a befitting reply.”

The Vasundhra Raje government in Rajasthan recently got a jolt after BJP lost three assembly seats – Weir, Nasirabad and Surajgarh – to the Congress. These polls were held four months after the BJP swept all 25 Lok Sabha seats.

Hindustan Times has the video of the meeting in which he made these stinging comments against his own party.

Singh has been camping in Kaman, his constituency, for the last couple of days, trying to mediate in a power struggle between local panchayat leaders.

Kaman Panchayat Samiti Pradhan Jalees Khan was suspended after he was named in a rape case. Deputy pradhan Ram Devi was given the pradhan’s charge.

However, recently Rajasthan High Court stayed Khan’s suspension. Khan reached the panchayat samiti office on October 9 to take charge without information to the district administration. He allegedly damaged property.

Rama Devi lodged an FIR against him and his wife, Zahida Khan, former Congress MLA from Kaman, accusing him of indulging in “hooliganism”. The Zila Parishad CEO, KC Meena, suspended two officers for allowing Jalees to take charge without any information to the administration.

Jagat Singh has been backing Rama Devi. Sunday’s meeting was called in this connection. He told the gathering that he would not allow a ‘rapist’ to get reinstated.

Jagat Singh defeated Zahida Khan in December 2013 Assembly polls.

The BJP MLA was suspended from the Congress in 2008 for his involvement in anti-party activities. He then joined the Bahujan Samaj Party.

It was not clear if the BJP would take any action against him for Sunday’s remarks. Party sources told HT that they were waiting to see how the chief minister reacts to the comment before any action could be initiated against Jagat Singh.