The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Rajasthan is in a damage control mode over dissent among several ticket expectants after the release of first list of its candidates for the upcoming Assembly election. Several leaders and their supporters have expressed their resentment, especially at the seats where the BJP MPs have been fielded.
The BJP has formed an internal committee, headed by Minister of State Kailash Choudhary, to address the issue, while the party’s State in-charge Arun Singh met some leaders here on Thursday to assuage them. The party has sought to convey to the ticket seekers that only 41 candidates had been declared so far and the nominees for as many as 159 seats were yet to be finalised.
Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan, the BJP had registered victory at 24 in the 2019 elections. While seven sitting MPs have been fielded as candidates in the party’s first list, more parliamentarians are likely to be asked to contest in the remaining seats. The decision has led to opposition from the local BJP leaders who were expecting to get the tickets.
Vidyadhar Nagar (Jaipur) MLA and former Minister Narpat Singh Rajvi, who is son-in-law of former Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, was the first to voice his criticism after the party named Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari as the candidate from his constituency. He made some controversial remarks about the erstwhile royal family of Amber to which Ms. Kumari belongs, but later retracted them.
Mr. Rajvi said here on Thursday that he was busy with the preparations for Mr. Shekhawat’s birth centenary celebrations on October 23, after which he would decide his next course of action. He has reportedly been assured that either he or his son would get the ticket from a Rajput-dominated constituency.
The supporters of four-time MLA Rajpal Singh Shekhawat protested against the decision to field Jaipur Rural MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore from his seat, Jhotwara, in Jaipur district. Mr. Shekhawat, considered a loyalist of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, told reporters that had worked tirelessly for development of his constituency and he wanted to serve it.
Both Mr. Rathore and Ms. Kumari are considered the party’s heavyweights. Mr. Rathore reacted by affirming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to bring “fresh leadership” in Rajasthan to make it a partner in his ‘Amrit Kaal’ mission. He said the BJP was the only party which gave an opportunity to everyone to move forward.
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Jalore-Sirohi MP Devji Patel, fielded from Sachore, faced the ire of supporters of the local BJP leaders during his first campaign trail in the constituency on Wednesday. The protesters carrying placards blocked his way and hurled stones on his motorcade, smashing some of windows. Mr. Patel was returning home after paying obeisance at a temple in Pathmeda.
In Alwar district’s Tijara, former MLA Maman Singh said at a village panchayat gathering with tears in his eyes that he was willing to contest against MP Balaknath, fielded from the seat, if the public wanted. BJP leader Mukesh Goyal broke down at a meeting of party workers on being denied the ticket form Kotputli, where Hansraj Patel Gujjar has been fielded.
Anita Singh, two-time MLA from Bharatpur district’s Nagar seat, said the security deposit of the party’s candidate Jawahar Singh Bedam, fielded after ignoring her, would be forfeited. She indicated that she would contest the polls as an independent candidate. Others who have protested against denial of tickets include former Minister Rohitash Sharma in Bansur, Vikas Choudhary in Kishangarh and Rajendra Gujjar in Deoli-Uniara.
Amid the rumblings, the official candidates have started meeting the party workers and formulating their poll strategies. The candidates are likely to begin their full-fledged election campaign after the start of the nine-day Navratri festival this week-end, according to the BJP sources.
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