Denied party ticket, Rajasthan BJP leaders protest

A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party announced its first list of 41 candidates for the Rajasthan assembly polls, at least seven disappointed ticket aspirants -- or their supporters -- on Tuesday protested against the party.

In one case, supporters of a leader who was denied party ticket burned its flags.

The protests were held at the BJP's state headquarters in Jaipur and also in some of the 41 constituencies for which the party announced its candidates on Monday.

In view of dissatisfaction among some leaders, the BJP has formed a 11-member committee headed by Union minister Kailash Chaudhary to look into the matter, party sources said.

Supporters of former BJP MLA from Jhotwara constituency Rajpal Singh Shekhawat protested hare against the candidature of BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore from the seat. The protest was held for nearly three hours.

Shekhawat's supporters raised slogans demanding the removal of 'parachute' candidate to save the constituency. A video of the protest is doing rounds on social media.

A former minister, Shekhawat is said to be close to former chief minister Vasundhara Raje and had met her late last night after being denied a ticket.

"In the list of 41 candidates, 10 are rebels," Shekhawat told reporters after meeting Raje.

Former Rajasthan BJP president Arun Chaturvedi and party leader Onkar Singh Lakhawat talked to a 15-member delegation to resolve the issue.

After being denied a ticket, BJP leader Mukesh Goyal, who fought unsuccessfully from Kotputli assembly seat in the 2018 elections, said the party will face a massive defeat in Kotputli.

"BJP will be confined to 40-50 seats in Rajasthan," he told reporters in Kotputli.

Goyal's supporters burned party flags to mark their protest against the candidature of Hansraj Patel from the seat in the November 23 elections.

Two-time MLA from Nagar assembly constituency of Bharatpur, Anita Singh has indicated that she will contest the elections despite being denied a ticket.

"Security deposit of the person who has got the ticket will be forfeited," Singh said in a social media post. She is said to be close to former CM Raje.

Jawahar Singh Bedham, who contested unsuccessfully from Kaman seat in 2018, has been fielded by the BJP from Nagar assembly seat.

Another hopeful and former minister Rohitash Sharma has also opposed the party's list.

He was hopeful of getting a ticket from Bansur constituency from where Devi Singh Shekhawat has been fielded by the BJP.

"People need not get distracted by the ticket distribution system. Earlier also, people had got the ticket on the basis of caste and money power but they did not win," Sharma said.

BJP candidate from Kishangarh constituency in 2018, Vikas Choudhary has raised his voice against Ajmer MP Bhagirath Choudhary who has been fielded by the party from the seat.

Sharing his reaction to the list of 41 candidates, Vikas Choudhary wrote on X, 'I have worked honestly.'

He addressed his supporters on Tuesday in Kishangarh and said he will go by what people decide.

Local party workers held a protest in Deoli-Uniara (Tonk) against the candidature of Vijay Baisnla. They alleged that an outsider was given ticket from the seat.

The protesters advocated for the nomination of former MLA Rajendra Gurjar, emphasizing the importance of a local candidate.

In Tijara, Alwar, former MLA Maman Singh Yadav and his supporters protested. Yadav said he will contest elections as an independent candidate if his supporters ask him for it.

"If the people say, I will be contesting as independent," he said.

The party has fielded Alwar MP Baba Balak Nath from Tijara seat.

However, sitting MLA Narpat Singh Rajvi has yet not reacted after being denied a ticket from the Vidhyadhar Nagar assembly seat. The party has replaced him with erstwhile royal family member and Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari on the seat.

A five-time MLA, Rajvi is the son-in-law of former vice president late Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

Meanwhile, election manifesto committee chairman and Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said that being the biggest party in the country, the number of people asking for tickets is also high.

"But everyone cannot get a ticket. The party has released the list of 41 candidates based on everyone's opinion and feedback. If the leaders who staked claims do not get the ticket then there is resentment among their supporters. The committee has started the consultation work, everything will be fine soon," he said.

Hours after the election schedule was announced, the BJP released the first list on Monday.

Out of the 41 candidates, only four are women while 12 are those who were also fielded by the party in the 2018 assembly polls.

The 41 constituencies for which the BJP issued the list included six SC and 10 ST seats.

Polling for all 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan will take place on November 23 and votes will be counted on December 3.