<p class="rtejustify">Yoonus Khan, the lone Muslim candidate of BJP, accepts that the party has changed its strategy in Rajasthan when it comes to fielding a Muslim. </p>.<p class="rtejustify">His name surfaced in the final candidate list released by BJP, that too a few hours before the last day for filing nomination closed. The party replaced its sitting MLA Ajit Singh Mehta and fielded Khan after the Congress gave a ticket to Pilot. </p>.<p class="rtejustify">Yoonus, who agrees to the fact that the party changed its strategy of not fielding Muslim candidate in the elections, told DH, "I have never contested from Tonk but I was asked to. If we compare the last few assembly elections, it's quite evident that the party wanted a Muslim face to woo voters here after Congress fielded Pilot. But again it's not about Hindu-Muslim, it's about the strategy." In the last four years, Khan becomes the first Muslim candidate fielded by BJP in assembly elections.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">The Tonk constituency has about 2.22 lakh voters, including around 55,000 Muslims and 35,000 belonging to Scheduled Castes, apart from a significant number of Gurjar, Jat and Meena voters, according to estimates by candidates. Rajasthan will go to polls on December 7 and counting will be held on December 11.</p>
<p class="rtejustify">Yoonus Khan, the lone Muslim candidate of BJP, accepts that the party has changed its strategy in Rajasthan when it comes to fielding a Muslim. </p>.<p class="rtejustify">His name surfaced in the final candidate list released by BJP, that too a few hours before the last day for filing nomination closed. The party replaced its sitting MLA Ajit Singh Mehta and fielded Khan after the Congress gave a ticket to Pilot. </p>.<p class="rtejustify">Yoonus, who agrees to the fact that the party changed its strategy of not fielding Muslim candidate in the elections, told DH, "I have never contested from Tonk but I was asked to. If we compare the last few assembly elections, it's quite evident that the party wanted a Muslim face to woo voters here after Congress fielded Pilot. But again it's not about Hindu-Muslim, it's about the strategy." In the last four years, Khan becomes the first Muslim candidate fielded by BJP in assembly elections.</p>.<p class="rtejustify">The Tonk constituency has about 2.22 lakh voters, including around 55,000 Muslims and 35,000 belonging to Scheduled Castes, apart from a significant number of Gurjar, Jat and Meena voters, according to estimates by candidates. Rajasthan will go to polls on December 7 and counting will be held on December 11.</p>
