Bikaner Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The Bikaner Lok Sabha constituency will register an exciting contest this year as BJP candidate and Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal contests against Congress candidate Arjun Ram Meghwal from the seat in Rajasthan. Arjun Meghwal, a three-time MP from the BJP, has been given the responsibility by the party to win the seat again for the fourth time, defeating the Congress rival, Govind Meghwal, who had faced defeat in the same contest against the former in 2009 on a BSP ticket.
The BJP has so far announced the names of 15 out of 25 candidates in Rajasthan whereas the Congress has put out the names in 10 Lok Sabha seats.
BJP vs Congress contest in Bikaner
Bikaner has voted for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections since 2009. The party has fielded Arjun Ram Meghwal from the seat since 2009 and he has been handing over the seat to the party. He defeated Govind Meghwal (BSP) in 2009, Shankar Pannu (Congress) in 2014, Madan Gopal Meghwal (Congress) in 2019. He is pitted against Govind once again from the seat.
Who is Govind Meghwal?
Govind Ram Meghwal will have a faceoff against Arjun Meghwal after 15 years and he will be aiming to break the latter’s winning streak. In 2009, Govind contested on a BSP ticket in which he faced defeat. He had begun his political career from the BJP when he contested Assembly elections for the first time in 1998 from Nokha seat, one of the Assembly seats in Bikaner. He faced defeat in his maiden outing. In 2003, he registered his first victory on BJP ticket. In 2008, he contested on a Congress ticket but lost the election.
In 2009 Lok Sabha elections, he was denied a ticket by the Congress, after which he joined the BSP and contested the general election for the first time, but lost to Arjun Ram Meghwal. He rejoined Congress in 2013 and contested from Khajuwala assembly seat but faced defeat yet again. In the 2018 Assembly polls, he won from the Khajuwala seat on Congress ticket and became a minister. In the 2023 Assembly elections, he got a ticket from the Congress and lost the election.
Congress has entrusted him in the Lok Sabha elections, giving him a ticket, aiming to stop Arjun Ram Meghwal from winning for the fourth time.
Bikaner 2019 and 2014 Winners (Candidates and Parties)
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal won the seat for the third time in a row with a margin of 2,64,081 votes. He was polled 6,57,743 votes with a vote share of 59.77%. He defeated Congress candidate Madan Gopal Meghwal who got 3,93,662 votes (35.77%). The total number of valid votes polled was 10,99,598. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Bhaira Ram stood third with 11,412 votes (1.04%).
In the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, senior BJP leader Arjun Ram Meghwal won the seat for the second time. He was polled 5,84,932 votes with a vote share of 62.84%. Congress candidate Shankar Pannu got 2,76,853 votes (29.74%) and was the runner-up. Meghwal defeated Pannu by a margin of 3,08,079 votes. The total number of valid votes polled in this constituency was 9,29,751. National Unionist Zamindara Party (NUZP) candidate Mangilal Nayak came third with 16,839 votes (1.81%) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Dr Gauri Shanker Daabi was in the fourth position with 14,148 votes (1.52%).
Bikaner Past Winners
- Arjun Ram Meghwal (BJP): 2009
- Dharmendra (BJP): 2004
- Rameshwar Lal Dudi (Congress): 1999
- Balram Jakhar (Congress): 1998
- Mahendra Singh Bhati (BJP): 1996
- Manphool Singh Chaudhary (Congress): 1991
- Sopat Singh Makkasar (CPM): 1989
- Manphool Singh Chaudhary (Congress): 1984
- Manphool Singh Chaudhary (Congress): 1980
- Hari Ram Makkasar (BLD): 1977
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