Rajasthan elections: BJP releases third list of 58 candidates, pitches Mahendra Singh Rathore against Gehlot

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released the third list of candidates for upcoming elections in Rajasthan which is scheduled to go to polls on November 25. The BJP has fielded Mahendra Singh Rathore against CM Ashok Gehlot from Sardapura assembly seat. Ajit Singh Mehta will fight Sachin Pilot in Tonk. The list includes Balmukand Acharya from Hawamahal seat of Jaipur. Notably, the Congress state government had filed an FIR against him recently. 

The BJP has been making vigorous efforts to return to power in the Congress-ruled Rajasthan and has fielded seven MPs. 

Special attention to prominent leaders

The party said they have taken cautious steps to avoid any revolt within their respective parties, which could affect their prospects in the key elections. In its three lists of candidates, the BJP has given tickets to at least 11 people who are family members of prominent leaders. The BJP list has several sons, daughters, granddaughters and daughter-in-laws of prominent leaders. It has given due attention to family members of leaders who died owing to health issues. The BJP has given a ticket to Ram Swaroop Lamba, the son of late MP Sanwar Lal Jat, to contest from the Nasirabad seat and Shailesh Singh, the son of late former state minister Digamber Singh, from the Deeg-Kumher constituency. The party has once again bet on Lamba who won the 2018 elections. He had also contested the Lok Sabha bypoll from Ajmer earlier and lost to Congress’ Raghu Sharma by a margin of 80,000 votes.