Even after they lost their kingdoms and titles way back in 1947, the royal families in Rajasthan continue to taste power and hold sway over people.
At present, more than half of the royal families are actively associated with political parties while others are influencing voters due to their sway on other communities who still revere them as their ‘Raja Saheb’.
The trend of palaces coming into politics dates back to 1951-52 when the erstwhile King of Jodhpur, Hanwant Singh Rathore, fought the Lok Sabha election. He died in a plane crash before the results were declared. Later, his son Gaj Singh and daughter Chandresh Kumari Katoch, also tried their luck in politics and succeeded.
