Rajasthan polls: CM Gehlot, Dhariwal, rebels file nominations on last day

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Urban Development and Housing Minister Shanti Dhariwal were among those who filed their nominations for the November 25 Assembly elections on the last day of Monday.

Several rebel leaders belonging to both the BJP and Congress also filed nomination papers as independent candidates.

BJP rebels Chandrabhan Singh Aakya, Rajpal Singh Shekhawat, Yoonus Khan, Kailash Meghwal and Ravindra Singh Bhati filed nomination papers as independent candidates from Chittorgarh, Jhotwara, Deedwana, Shahpura and Sheo respectively.

Congress rebels Shiv Prasad Meena, Gaurav Sharma, Rupesh Sharma and Rakesh Boyat filed their nominations from various seats in Kota and Bundi.

Ravindra Singh Bhati, former student union president of Jodhpur’s Jai Narain Vyas University, had recently joined the BJP and was expecting the party’s ticket from Barmer’s Sheo constituency, but he was denied a ticket following which he filed nomination papers as an independent candidate.

Rajpal Singh, who was denied ticket from Jhotwara constituency in Jaipur, said the party workers are not satisfied with the party’s official candidate.

Jaipur Rural MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is contesting the elections from Jhotwara constituency.

The BJP also denied a ticket to MLA Chandrabhan Singh Aakya in Chittorgarh and fielded Narpat Singh Rajvi in ​​his place.

Aakya said he waited until the last minute for the party to change its decision and when no changes were made, he filed his nomination papers.

Former minister Yoonus Khan, who is considered close to Vasundhara Raje, filed his nomination as an independent candidate from Nagaur seat in Deedwana. He was denied a ticket by the party.

He contested the 2018 Assembly elections from the Tonk seat against Sachin Pilot and lost.

Former Congress president Kailash Meghwal also filed his nomination from Shahpura in Bhilwara. He was also denied a ticket. Meghwal had accused Union Minister Arjun Meghwal of corruption some time ago, following which he was served a notice for indiscipline.

In Ladpura in Kota, former BJP MLA Bhawani Singh Rajawat filed nomination papers as an independent candidate after the party fielded Kalpna Devi.

Sports Minister Ashok Chandana filed nomination as Congress candidate from Hindoli Assembly seat in Bundi, where state Congress leadership Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Punjab State Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja addressed a large public meeting in support him.

In Jodhpur, Chief Minister Gehlot filed his nomination, while Dhariwal filed his papers in Kota. Dhariwal’s name was announced in the list of candidates released by the party on Sunday evening.

Dhariwal is contesting from Kota North constituency while Gehlot is contesting from Sardarpura in Jodhpur.

Dhariwal is pitted against Prahlad Gunjal of the BJP.

The minister held a roadshow and called on people to teach his opponent a lesson so that he would never dare to think of a match from Kota North again.

BJP candidate Prahlad Gunjal lashed out at Dhariwal, saying he was named by every Congress member as the most corrupt in Rajasthan.

Speaking to media after filing his nomination, Dhariwal said on the party’s decision to drop Mahesh Joshi and deny ticket to Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation chairman Dharmendra Rathore, such things happen.

Dhariwal, Joshi and Rathore were served notices by the party for indiscipline after Congress MLAs from the Ashok Gehlot camp skipped a Congress Legislative Party meeting at the chief minister’s residence in Jaipur in September last year and held a parallel meeting had held at Dhariwal’s residence to oppose any form of resistance. party’s move to appoint Sachin Pilot as chief minister.

Gehlot was then in the race for the post of Congress president.

Monday was the last day for filing nominations for the November 25 Assembly elections in Rajasthan. The votes will be counted on December 3.