In a bizarre turn of events in Madhya Pradesh, the minister Ramniwas Rawat lost by-election. Rawat's defeat is an embarrassment not to himself but to the entire BJP at State and national levels, and to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. It is learnt that Rawat had insisted upon becoming a minister before getting himself elected as MLA. Rawat had contested the by-election being a Forest Minister in the State Government. Rawat lost the by-election from his Vijaypur constituency by more than 7,300 votes.
He was five-term MLA from Congress and before 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he has quit Congress and joined the BJP. Soon after the Lok Sabha elections, he was inducted in the State cabinet as Forest Minister.
This outcome is a severe blow to Rawat himself and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the State.
