Ravindra Singh Bhati: From Student Politics to Challenging Lok Sabha Seat on the Barmer-Jaisalmer Constituency

Ravindra Singh Bhati, who hails from the Dudhoda village in the Barmer district of Rajasthan, has emerged as a significant figure in student and youth politics. Beginning his academic journey in a local school, Bhati pursued higher education at Jai Narain Vyas University in Jodhpur. It was during this phase that his foray into student politics began.

In 2019, Bhati aspired to contest for the position of Student Union President with the ABVP’s student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad; however, his candidacy was not successful. Undeterred, Bhati decided to run independently and won the elections for an independent candidate, creating a historic moment at Jodhpur University after 57 years.

Before venturing into electoral politics, Bhati had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Rajasthan. However, a mere nine days later, he resigned from the BJP due to internal political circumstances. It was expected that Bhati would be given a ticket by the BJP to contest in the Shiv Assembly elections; when this did not materialize, Bhati opted to contest as an independent candidate. Notably, Bhati secured victory, defeating veteran Congress leader Amin Khan.

The Shiv Assembly constituency nestles near the India-Pakistan border, connecting regions of Barmer-Jaisalmer with strong ties to the Rajput community in villages. Bhati holds a postgraduate degree in the Rajasthani language. One of Bhati’s close friends, Ashok Godara, serves as a leader in the BJP and actively supported the party during the Lok Sabha elections. Bhati enjoys significant popularity on social media platforms.