Elections 98

State:	Rajasthan
Constituency:	Bikaner
Total Votes Polled:	1039717
Winner: INC	Balram Jakhar	560257
Runner Up: BJP	Mahendra Singh Bhati	369632
Margin: 190625 (34%)

Elections 96

State:	Rajasthan
Constituency:	Bikaner
Total Votes Polled:	777212
Winner: BJP	Mahender Singh Bhati	340632
Runner Up: INC	Manphool Singh	309096
Margin: 31536 (4.12%)

From 1952 to 1971, this constituency was represented by an Independent, Karni Singh, Olympian marksman and the Maharaja of Bikaner. The first party to win from here, in 1977, was the BLD. Manphool Singh (Congress) won in 1980 and 1984, and lost to the CPI-M in 1989. Singh won back the seat in 1991, before losing to Mahender Singh Bhati (BJP) by 31,000 votes in 1996.