Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2023: The strange electoral history of the state
In 1952, elections for the first legislative Assembly were held for 140 constituencies in Rajasthan, which the Congress won with a sweeping majority.
The Congress continued to win the first five elections, and Mohan Lal Sukhadia served as chief minister for 17 years until 1972.
The declaration of Emergency in 1975 tipped the balance of power in Jan Sangh's favour.
In 1977, Janta Party won a three-fourths majority in the sixth Assembly, where seats were increased to 200. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was appointed as the chief minister.
The Congress returned to power in Rajasthan when Indira Gandhi dismissed the state government after returning to power in Delhi in 1980.
Following Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984, the Congress rode a sympathy wave to a landslide victory in the 1985 elections.
In 1990, the state voted the BJP-JD alliance to power, after VP Singh led the Janta Dal to power in Delhi. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was again appointed the chief minister.
The Shekhawat government was dismissed in 1992 after the demolition of the Babri Masjid. However, the BJP retook power.
The BJP lost the 1998 election to the Congress, due to dramatically rising onion prices. For the first time, Ashok Gehlot became chief minister and led the government for a full term.
Since 1993, Rajasthan's election history has been marked by power swings between the Congress and the BJP.