Upset in Madhya Pradesh: Rawat's Defeat Shakes BJP

In a significant upset for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Minister Ramniwas Rawat was defeated by Congress candidate Mukesh Malhotra by 7,364 votes in the Vijaypur assembly bypoll. Rawat had previously won the seat multiple times as a Congress candidate before switching to the BJP.

The ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh faced a major setback as Minister Ramniwas Rawat was defeated in the Vijaypur assembly bypoll by Congress's Mukesh Malhotra. The marginal loss of 7,364 votes was a significant blow to the party.

Ramniwas Rawat, who had a history of winning the Vijaypur seat on a Congress ticket, switched to the BJP after the 2023 assembly polls. The BJP had appointed him as the forest minister in the Mohan Yadav government.

Despite his earlier victories in 1990, 1993, 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2023 as a Congress candidate, Rawat's defeat highlighted the challenges BJP faces in consolidating power in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)