In Rajasthan’s Barmer, Ravindra Singh Bhati Sets Stage For BJP vs ‘Independent BJP’ Battle

The BJP has fielded Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and sitting MP from Barmer, from the Lok Sabha seat once again. However, this time, Choudhary is facing a familiar challenger – Ravindra Singh Bhati. Bhati has filed his nomination paper independently after he was denied a ticket by the BJP. According to reports, the BJP tried to convince Bhati to not contest from the seat independently but he did not buzz.

Triangular Contest In Barmer

Ravindra Singh Bhati is currently MLA from the Sheo Constituency and wanted to contest the parliamentary polls on the BJP ticket. Bhati has been a popular leader since his college days but has been ignored by the BJP on many occasions. Now, the Barmer seat will have a triangular contest from the seat. Congress has fielded Umedaram, former RLP leader and close aide of Hanuman Beniwal from the seat. Umedaram is a leader with an impeccable image.

Barmer majorly has Jat and Rajput voters. With Bhati contesting from the seat, he is likely to get support of Rajput voters. However, Choudhary and Umedaram are Jat leaders and thus may witness a split in Jat voters that may benefit Bhati.

Bhati’s BJP Pitch
The BJP has moved the election commission against Ravindra Singh Bhati’s poll campaign in which he is using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photo with the caption “Forgive Us Modi Ji. We are giving you Ravindra in place of Kailash. I am Modi’s family”. The pamphlet bears the photo of Narendra Modi and Ravindra Singh Bhati. Bhati has made it clear that even if he wins as an independent candidate, will extend support to Modi.

Ravindra Bhati’s Rebellious History
Ravindra Singh Bhati has been a courageous leader since his college days. It was his rebellious nature that won him accolades. When Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) did not give him a ticket for the student elections at Jay Narayan Vyas University, he contested independently and for the first time in its 57-year history, became the independent president of the university. The rebellion did not end there. Before the 2023 Assembly elections, when the BJP denied him a ticket from the Sheo constituency in Barmer, Bhati once again entered the independent arena and defeated 84-year-old senior Congress leader Amin Khan with a record victory margin creating history. For the third time, Ravindra Bhati has filed an independent nomination from the Barmer Lok Sabha seat. This time, he will challenge BJP’s central minister Kailash Choudhary.