Former BJP leader Jaswant Singh, who is fighting as an Independent from Barmer constituency in Rajasthan, was trailing by a big margin against BJP's Col. Sona Ram, latest counting trends of the April-May parliamentary polls showed early Friday.
"After counting of over 22 percent votes by 11 a.m., Col. Sona Ram had taken a lead of over 41,000 votes over his nearest rival Jaswant Singh," a poll official said.
Jaswant Singh represented Darjeeling in the outgoing 15th Lok Sabha.
He wanted to contest from Barmer but the party fielded Col. Sona Ram, who recently switched to the BJP from the Congress. Singh filed nomination as an Independent candidate whereafter he was expelled from the BJP.
Singh was irked at not being considered for nomination from the constituency.
He hails from Jasol village in Barmer district. He was a member of the union cabinet during the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app