BJP repeats 14 MPs in Rajasthan, drops one woman legislator

Yash Goyal
Jaipur, March 21

Out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan, the BJP in its first list declared on Thursday repeated 14 sitting MPs, dropped one woman MP, and fielded a new face in Ajmer, presently represented by the Congress.

Four ministers of state in the Narendra Modi government — Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore from Jaipur-Rural seat, Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat from Jodhpur, and PP Choudhary from Pali — will contest the election.  

A woman MP, Santosh Ahlawat, was dropped and her seat of Jhunjhunu was given to sitting MLA of Mandawa Narendra Kumar Khinchal. 

Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s son Dushyant Singh will contest from his home bastion of Jhalwar-Baran. 

Another new face and former party MLA of Kishangarh Bhagirath Choudhary has been given ticket from Ajmer which is presently held by Congress MP Raghu Sharma (who later vacated after winning assembly seat in Ajmer district in 2018 assembly polls).

In 2014, BJP’s late Sanwarlal Jat had won the Ajmer seat.

Nine other sitting MPs who will contest the upcoming two-phase elections in Rajasthan are: Nihal Chand in Ganganagar, Sumedhanand Sarswasti in Sikar, Ramcharan Bohra in Jaipur, Khushveer Singh Jaunpuria in Tonk-Sawaimadhopur, Devi Man Singh Patel in Jalore, Arjun Lal Meena in Udaipur, Subhash Chandra Beharia in Bhilwara, CP Joshi in Chittorgarh, and Om Birla in Kota.  

Rajasthan’s first phase of election would be held in 13 constituencies on April 29, and the remaining 12 on May 5. 

The Congress has not announced any list so far.