Jaswant Singh trails in Barmer

Jaipur, May 16 (IANS) Former BJP leader Jaswant Singh, who is fighting as an Independent from Barmer constituency in Rajasthan, was trailing by a big margin against BJP's Col. Sona Ram, latest counting trends of the April-May parliamentary polls showed early Friday.

"After counting of over 22 percent votes by 11 a.m., Col. Sona Ram had taken a lead of over 41,000 votes over his nearest rival Jaswant Singh," a poll official said.

Jaswant Singh represented Darjeeling in the outgoing 15th Lok Sabha.

He wanted to contest from Barmer but the party fielded Col. Sona Ram, who recently switched to the BJP from the Congress. Singh filed nomination as an Independent candidate whereafter he was expelled from the BJP.

Singh was irked at not being considered for nomination from the constituency.

He hails from Jasol village in Barmer district. He was a member of the union cabinet during the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government.