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Six-time winner Nathu Ram Mirdha remains on record books

Nathu Ram Mirdha's feat of holding onto a Lok Sabha seat for six terms in Rajasthan is set to remain on the record books even after the 12th parliamentary poll.

Mirdha has won the Nagaur Lok Sabha seat in 1971, 1977, 1980, 1989, 1991 and 1996.

Three leaders -- the former maharaja of Bikaner, Dr Karni Singh, (Bikaner), Panna Lal Barupal (Ganganagar) and former Union minister and veteran Congress leader Nawal Kishore Sharma -- have been returned for five terms in the state.

While Olympian shooter Dr Karni Singh won Bikaner for five consecutive terms starting with the first general election as an Independent candidate, Barupal achieved the feat as the Congress nominee from the reserved Ganganagar constituency.

Sharma has been returned five times from various constituencies -- Dausa, Jaipur and Alwar -- since the 1968 by-election. He is not contesting the election this time.

Congress leaders Rajesh Pilot, Ashok Gehlot and Jagannath Pahadia are trying their luck to secure a fifth term in the Lower House from Dausa, Jodhpur and Bayana (reserved) parliamentary constituencies respectively.

Pilot won the 1980 election from Bharatpur while in 1984, 1991 and 1996, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Dausa. Gehlot won the Lok Sabha poll from Jodhpur in 1980, 1984, 1991 and 1996.

Pahadia, once chief minister of the state, won the 1957 parliamentary election from Sawai Madhopur, Hindon (1967 and 1971) and Bayana (1980).

BJP candidates Jaswant Singh (Chittorgarh), Giridhari Lal Bhargava (Jaipur), Rasa Singh Rawat (Rawat), the former maharani of Dholpur, Vasundhara Raje (Jhalwar), former chief justice of the Guwahati high court Guman Mal Lodha (Pali) are also in the race for a fourth term.

All-India Mahila Congress president and former Union minister Girija Vyas (Udaipur), Narendra Budania (Churu-Congress), Bheru Lal Meena (Salumbar-Congress), former Union ministers Buta Singh (Jalore-Independent) and Balram Jakhar (Bikaner-Congress) are seeking their third entry into the Lok Sabha.

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