New Delhi: Continuing its Madhya Pradesh experiment in two other poll-bound states, the BJP has fielded 10 MPs in Congress-ruled Rajasthan (7) and Chhattisgarh (3), revealed candidates’ lists announced Monday. Two prominent faces missing from the Rajasthan first list were Narpat Singh Rajvi, son-in-law of former vice-president and ex-CM Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, and Vasundhara Raje loyalist Rajpal Singh Shekhawat.
In Chhattisgarh, the BJP has fielded two family members of former minister in Vajpayee cabinet Dilip Singh Judeo — daughter-in-law Sanyogita Singh and son Prabal Pratap Singh.
The party Monday revealed the names of 41 candidates for Rajasthan, and 64 in its second list for Chhattisgarh. It also released its fourth list of 57 candidates for Madhya Pradesh, where it has fielded seven MPs, including three Union ministers, in previous lists.
A Rajasthan BJP vice-president told ThePrint that “Raje’s name will figure in another list of candidates”.
In Chhattisgarh’s second list, key candidates included former chief minister Raman Singh and state unit chief and Lok Sabha MP Arun Sao. In its first list for the state, the party had fielded MP Vijay Baghel against Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
The 85 Chhattisgarh candidates BJP has fielded so far include 30 tribals, 31 OBCs and 10 SCs. Moreover, 11 sitting MLAs have got tickets.
A Chhattisgarh BJP leader told ThePrint that the “party has fielded all important leaders in the state, be it Raman Singh or (former home minister) Brijmohan Agrawal, former state president Vishnudeo Sai, to win this election”.
BJP’s Rajasthan general secretary Bhajanlal Sharma told ThePrint: “The party has fielded strong candidates on weak seats to give a tough fight to the Congress. It is a well-calculated strategy to make the fight tougher for the Congress and will energise the cadre on other seats.”
Rajasthan goes to the polls on 23 November while Chhattisgarh will vote on 7 November and 17 November. Votes will be counted on 3 December.
Key candidates
The seven MPs fielded in Rajasthan are Diya Kumari from Vidhyadhar Nagar, Bhagirath Choudhary from Kishangarh, Kirodi Lal Meena from Sawai Madhopur, Devji Patel from Sanchore, Narendra Kumar from Mandawa, Rajyavardhan Rathore from Jhotwara and Balaknath from Tijara.
Of the 41 seats for which candidates have been declared in the state, the BJP had lost most in the previous election.
In Vidyadhar Nagar, Diya Kumari, a descendant of the last ruling maharajah of Jaipur, has been fielded in place of Narpat Singh Rajvi, and Rathore has will contest instead of Rajpal Singh Shekhawat in Jhotwara.
Also, former Union minister Subhash Maharia, who rejoined the BJP this year, has been fielded from Lachhmangarh against Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra.
Among other candidates are former civil servants Chandra Mohan Meena and Hansraj Meena from Bassi and Sapotra seats, respectively.
Vijay Bainsla, son of Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla, has been fielded from Deoli Uniara seat. Senior Bainsla had led several protests on the issue of Gujjar reservation.
The BJP has also fielded Shubhkaran Choudhary from Udaipurwati against Rajendra Gudha, who had brought out the “red diary” against Rajasthan’s Ashok Gehlot government.
The Rajasthan BJP vice-president quoted earlier said: “In Jaipur district, we lost many seats in the last election, winning only six of 18 while the Congress won 10. In 2013, the BJP had won 18 seats in the district and we want to recapture these seats. That is why, MPs have been fielded on many Jaipur seats.”
In Chhattisgarh, the three MPs in the second list are Renuka Singh, who is also a Union minister, from Bharatpur-Sonhat, Gomati Sai from Pathalgoan and Arun Sao from Lormi.
While Raman Singh will contest from his traditional seat of Rajnandgaon, party general secretary and former IAS officer O.P. Chaudhary has been fielded from Raigarh.
Furthermore, former state president Vishnudeo Sai will contest from Kunkuri, Lata Usendi, who was elevated as BJP’s national vice-president this year, will contest from Antagarh and Ishwar Sahu, whose son was killed in a communal riot in Biranpur in April, has been fielded from Saja.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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