Rajasthan minister Jhabar Singh Kharra said on Thursday that farmers' agitation and mistakes in ticket distribution in the Lok Sabha elections were some of the factors behind the BJP's decline in number of seats in the state.
In the election results declared on Tuesday, the BJP secured 14 out of 25 seats in Rajasthan, with the Congress winning eight and the India bloc partners -- the CPI(M), the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and the Bharat Adivasi Party -- winning one seat each.
The BJP had swept all the 25 seats in 2014 and had won 24 seats in 2019 while its coalition partner the RLP had secured victory on one seat.
"We could not break the misconception created by the opposition regarding our slogan of 400-plus seats. There was the impact of the farmers' movement and mistakes in ticket distribution. There were many things that had an impact," minister of state Kharra told reporters at the BJP office here.
He said the party will have to work harder now.
Asked about the accountability for defeat, he said all the BJP workers take responsibility for the defeat.
"It is a collective responsibility, not an individual responsibility," he said.
On the indication by cabinet minister Kirodi Lal Meena to quit due to defeat of the party candidates on seats under his responsibility, Kharra said it will be ensured that he remains in the cabinet.
"It is hoped that he will remain in the cabinet in accordance with the sentiments of the workers and the central leadership," he said.
