Rajasthan assembly sees 72 new faces in political landscape

The inaugural session of the 16th Rajasthan Legislative Assembly is set to commence today, where the newly elected legislators will take their oaths over the two-day event. Governor Kalraj Mishra has given his approval for the session, which will witness Protem Speaker Kali Charan Saraf administering the oath to the newly elected members on the first day. The subsequent day will see the election of the Speaker, along with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma taking the oath. Notably, this assembly session introduces several changes to the legislative landscape.
A significant historical shift is apparent as, for the first time in 25 years, neither former CM Vasundhara Raje nor Ashok Gehlot will play a role within the legislative house. The absence of Raje and Gehlot marks a departure from the last two and a half decades, opening the floor for a new leader to take charge. This session will witness first-time legislators without the presence of experienced figures like Speaker of the Assembly CP Joshi and opposition leader Rajendra Rathore.
This session marks a unique occurrence in the state as legislators take their oaths before the formation of the Cabinet. Bhajan Lal Sharma’s role as Chief Minister before becoming a legislator adds to the distinctive nature of this session. Traditionally, the Cabinet formation would precede the inaugural session, but this time, legislators are taking their oaths ahead of the Cabinet formation.
A notable feature of this assembly is the election of three saints: Balak Nath, Mahant Pratappuri, and Balamukund Acharya. The assembly also boasts a considerable number of legislators below the age of 50, with 67 winning this time, compared to the last election’s 80. Additionally, 132 legislators are over the age of 50, compared to 119 in the previous assembly. There are 47 legislators with an education level of 10th grade or below, whereas the previous assembly had 36. The assembly also comprises only nine Ph.D. holders.
With a total of 200 seats in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, the recent elections saw the BJP securing 115 seats, Congress 69, and independent candidates 15 seats out of the 199 contested.
The seat in Karanpur will have voting on January 5. Noteworthy is the presence of 72 first-time winners, including 46 from the BJP, 19 from Congress, and 7 independent legislators.