BJP central leadership seems to have left it to the CM to salvage the party from what has been predicted as a lost cause by pre-poll surveys.
New Delhi: Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje has had her say in the allotment of tickets for next month’s assembly elections, with the BJP high command leaving it to her to salvage the party from what has been predicted as a lost cause by pre-poll surveys.
She secured tickets for most of her loyalists in the first list of 131 candidates announced by the BJP Sunday night. She managed to get tickets for former BJP MP Sanwar Lal’s son, Ram Swaroop Lamba, despite his loss in the Ajmer Lok Sabha bypoll.
According to sources, Col. Sonoram (retd.), who has secured the ticket from Barmer, was not the choice of central leadership for the seat. “Instead, the top brass wanted Priyanka Choudhary, a relative of former Rajasthan minister Gangaram Choudhary for the seat,” said a party source.
In Sadulshahar constituency, the party has given ticket to Gurveer Singh Brar, a relative of senior BJP leader Gurjant Singh Brar.
“Amit Shah was not keen on giving ticket to Brar,” the source added.
In the Pushkar assembly seat, Suresh Rawat got ticket who was Raje’s choice whereas the central leadership wanted Rajendra Singh Rawat who is a panchayat pradhan in the region, the BJP source said.
Many of Raje’s cabinet ministers have managed to get tickets as well. They include rural development minister and Raje’s close aide Rajendra Rathore (Churu assembly seat), higher education minister Kiren Maheshwari, home minister Gulab Chand Kataria, forest and environment minister Gajendra Singh and social justice empowerment minister Arun Chaturvedi.
However, one of Raje’s cabinet colleagues, Surendra Goyal, quit BJP after he was denied ticket.
Another loyalist Manjeet Choudhary, son of former BJP MLA Dharampal Chaudhary, has secured ticket from Mundawar.
But, unlike last time, when four Muslim candidates were allotted tickets, no one from the community has been given ticket this time.
Sources privy to the discussions held on the candidate selection process claim that Raje had got what she wanted and thus most of the candidates were repeated despite the central leadership’s opinion to bring in a change.
Also read: Amit Shah keeps Vasundhara Raje out of Rajasthan rallies as their rift widens
Raje’s game plan to ‘take everyone along’
“To fight anti-incumbency, it is imperative to change the candidates as it is the candidates that people are angry with. However, the party decides to retain many, including ministers such as Vasudev Devnani, considered close to Sangh (RSS), in the list,” said a senior BJP leader who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
“While Devnani has won the elections last time, Satish Punia, also considered close to Sangh, has managed to get ticket despite his loss in 2013,” the BJP leader added.
Sources in the party said that others such as senior state leader and Rajya Sabha MP Om Mathur as well as the RSS has managed to get a few seats for their loyalists.
The chief minister had a meeting with RSS functionaries days before the list was finalised. Sources claimed that the meeting was to ensure that the Sangh won’t remain “angry” with Raje any longer.
Faith in old faces
Of the list of 131 candidates released Sunday night, the BJP has changed 39 candidates, including 29 sitting MLAs.
In 2013, out of 92 fresh candidates who were given tickets, 68 won. The win rate was 73.91 per cent.
Of the 108 candidates who were repeated in 2013 polls, 95 won with an impressive victory percentage of 87.96.
Compared to Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan is the only state that has reposed more faith in old candidates. The BJP, especially PM Narendra Modi and the party chief Amit Shah, had always believed in fighting anti-incumbency by changing the candidates.
In Madhya Pradesh, the difference of winning rate between old and new candidates was a mere 4 per cent in 2013. In Chhattisgarh, it was less than 1 per cent. So, both states have fielded many new candidates this time as well.
Also read: The many ‘sins’ of Vasundhara Raje that are coming back to haunt her
Tickets to those who contested as Independents
The BJP has replaced the Mandawa candidate Salim Tanwar with Narendra Kumar, who had won the seat as Independent last time.
In Khetri, the party has changed the former candidate Dataram who is now replaced by Dharam Pal who contested as Independent but came fourth.
In Bamanwas, the sitting MLA Kunji Lal has been replaced by Rajendra Kumar Meena who fought as Independent but lost.
Rajasthan goes to polls on 7 December and the results will be announced on 11 December.