There was palpable anger among the community over independent candidate Pawan Singh contesting from Karakat Lok Sabha seat, where Upendra Kushwaha was contesting as the NDA candidate. With Pawan Singh in the fray, the Rajput voters drifted away from the NDA and rooted for him. With Kushwaha on the verge of losing, the community reciprocated by not voting for the BJP candidates in nearby seats. A division of Kushwaha vote led to the loss of five seats in the vicinity of Karakat.
