In a significant move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unveiled its list of 58 candidates for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections. The party strategically fielded Ajit Singh Mehta against Congress leader Sachin Pilot in the Tonk constituency and Mahendra Singh Rathore against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in Sardarpura.
Notably, the saffron party’s second list included high-profile names like BJP national vice-president Vasundhara Raje, the former chief minister, who will contest from Jhalarpatan.
Other key candidates announced include Satish Punia from Amber, Rajendra Rathod from Taranagar, and Jyoti Mirdha from Nagaur.
In a surprising move, the BJP denied renomination to five-term MLA Narpat Singh Rajvi from his Vidhyadhar Nagar constituency and instead fielded him from Chittorgarh. The party also introduced Vishwaraj Singh Mewar, a descendant of Maharana Pratap Singh, as its candidate from Nathdwara, previously held by Congress veteran CP Joshi.
Several other strong contenders were named, including Santosh Bawri from Anupgarh, Santosh Ahlawat from Surajgarh, Sushree Siddhi Kumari from Bikaner East, Anita Bhadel from Ajmer South, Shobha Chauhan from Sojat, and Deepti Maheshwari from Rajsamand.
The BJP’s first list featured prominent leaders like Diya Kumari, who will contest from Vidhyadhar Nagar constituency in Jaipur, and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, a former Union minister, and retired Army officer, who was fielded from Jhotwara, also in Jaipur district.
As the election fervor intensifies, these announcements set the stage for intense battles in key constituencies. The polling for the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly is scheduled for November 25, with the results slated to be announced on December 3.
The BJP’s strategic candidate selection reflects the party’s determination to secure a strong foothold in the state, while anticipation builds for the remaining candidate announcements, especially for the 119-member Telangana Assembly.