Rajasthan Assembly Election Results 2023 | Royal family members on BJP ticket lead in their seats

Rajasthan Assembly Election 2023: We take a look at the royals in the race in Rajasthan, and how they’re faring

As the results are being announced for the Assembly Elections in Rajasthan, erstwhile members of Rajasthan’s many royal families are leading in their seats across the State— some by a sizeable margin.

Also see: Rajasthan Election Results 2023, LIVE Updates

At the time of Independence, Rajasthan consisted of 22 princely states, including Alwar, Banswara, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Karauli, Khetri, Kota, Sikar, and Udaipur. While scions of Rajasthan’s royal families lost their titles following Independence in 1947, they still maintain influence and pull over the popular imagination across the State. Now, as part of the political fray, they exert influence over particular communities such as the Rajputs and the Brahmins.

The first instance of a Rajasthani royal participating in politics was in 1951-52, when Hanwant Singh Rathore, the then King of Jodhpur, contested in a Lok Sabha election, but died in a plane crash before the results were declared.

Speaking of the hold royals have over the public when it comes to elections, Ashfaq Khatyamkhani, a Sikar-based political analyst, said in an earlier interview with The Hinduthat a clean image “helps erstwhile royals win elections.”

“People know that they won’t take money in commissions, as they are already rich. This works well among the poor farmers and lower castes in the State who are otherwise harassed by the politicians or their offices when it comes to getting benefits from government schemes,” he said.

At present, the Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded five royal family members, while the Congress has fielded one. Here’s how they’re faring.