Congress replaces Jaipur candidate Sunil Sharma; fields Pratap Singh Khachariyawas instead

The Congress on Sunday decided to replace its controversial candidate from the Jaipur Lok Sabha constituency, Sunil Sharma, and instead chose to field Pratap Singh Khachariyawas in his place.

Jaipur: Congress dropped its controversial Jaipur candidate, Sunil Sharma and replaced him with tried and tested former minister and firebrand leader Pratap Singh Khachariyawas. 

Congress has made Murari Lal Meena its candidate from Dausa. Congress has now declared the names in all the 12 constituencies going to polls in the first phase on April 19. 

Khachariyawas, 54, is a popular, outspoken and mass leader in Jaipur. Minister of transport and food in the previous Ashok Gehlot government, he has been in politics from his university days. He was president of Students Union in Rajasthan University.

Nephew of BJP veteran and former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, he was earlier in BJP and a supporter of Vasundhara Raje. He left BJP in 2004 and since then has been associated with the Congress. He had lost the Lok Sabha election from Jaipur on a Congress ticket. In 2023, he also lost the Assembly seat of Civil Lines, one of the poshest constituencies of Jaipur. 

Congress Party was in a dilemma over its candidate Sunil Sharma, who is said to be associated with Jaipur Dialogues, a X handle, which spews venom against Congress and minorities. 

Although quick to counter negative propaganda against him on the social media, Sunil Sharma started tweeting his past videos on his handle @I_Sunil Sharma, where he is seen giving out secular speeches and emphasising on brotherhood and friendship between Hindus and Muslims, his candidature was widely criticised on the social media by Congress leaders including Shashi Tharoor. That perhaps made the Congress rethink and Khachariyawas with a good support base seemed the next best bet. Although a Rajput, Khachariyawas is acceptable amongst all communities. Jaipur is a Brahmin dominated constituency.   

Meanwhile, Dausa candidate, Murari Lal Meena, 64, is an  engineering graduate and has been a MLA from Dausa at least four times. He was first associated with Bahujan Samaj Party and won in 2003 and 2008 on a BSP ticket. In 2018 and 2023, he won on a Congress ticket. He is a grassroots leader. Last time in 2019, his wife Savita Meena was given the Dausa ticket, who lost to BJP’s Jaskaur Meena by 5,48,733 votes.    

Earlier, Congress gave tickets to Anil Chopra from Jaipur Rural and Bhajanlal Jatav from Karauli-Dholpur.