Rajasthan polls: Former chief secy, 35 MLAs inCong’s second list of 43 candidates

The Congress on Sunday released its second list of 43 candidates for the Rajasthan assembly elections scheduled for November 25, fielding 35 sitting legislators, including 15 ministers, and former chief secretary Niranjan Arya.

The second list of the Congress, which is aiming to retain power in the desert state, came a day after the ruling party announced its first list of 33 candidates for the elections to the 200-member Rajasthan assembly. The result of the polls will be declared on December 3.

While the party in its first list fielded chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot from Sardarpura and Tonk constituencies, respectively, the second list included several loyalists of the former getting the party ticket.

Prominent among ministers considered close to Gehlot to get a party ticket included Govind Ram Meghwal from Khajuwala (Scheduled Caste) seat, BD Kalla from Bikaner West, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas from the Civil Lines seat, and minister of state for higher education Rajendra Singh Yadav from Kotputli.

State ministers Brijendra Singh Ola and Murari Lal Meena, both considered close to Pilot, have been fielded from Jhunjhunu and Dausa, respectively.

Former chief secretary and chief minister’s advisor Niranjan Arya has also been fielded from Sojat (SC) constituency.

The party has named three women candidates, including minister Shakuntala Rawat from Bansur, in the second list. Sushila Dudi, wife of former legislator and leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Gurgaon, has been fielded from Nokha while Naseem Akhtar will contest the upcoming elections from Pushkar.

“Hearty congratulations to all the candidates nominated by the Central Election Committee of Congress for Rajasthan assembly elections,” Gehlot posted in Hindi on X, formerly known as twitter. “It is necessary to work tirelessly and get the blessings of the people to speed up the four times progress achieved through the savings, relief and growth schemes during the current tenure of the Congress to 10 times.”

The Congress has also fielded five independent MLAs, who had rebelled against the party after being denied the party ticket in 2018. They, however, stood by Gehlot during the political crisis in the state Congress in 2020.

Political analyst Manish Godha said the second list of the Congress has Gehlot’s imprint all over it. “Gehlot also kept his promise of being guardian of all by giving ticket to five independents. Though Pilot loyalist also got space but they were member of Gehlot’s ministry,” Godha added.

In the first list, the ruling party fielded five ministers, 28 sitting MLAs and independent legislator Ramila Khadia. In the two lists released so far, the Congress has given the party ticket to 20 ministers. However, Shanti Dhariwal and Mahesh Joshi, both part of the Gehlot cabinet, are still under consideration. Dhariwal and Joshi were issued show cause notices by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for allegedly holding a parallel Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Jaipur on September 25, 2022.