Meet the erstwhile royals aspiring for a ticket

As the nomination list is taking final shape in both the Congress and BJP, aspiring erstwhile royals are back in action for the upcoming Assembly polls in Rajasthan, slated for December 7.

While many have tried their luck in past elections, the list of former royal aspirants has been refreshed with new entrants.

In the BJP camp, on top of the list is the name of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who belongs to the erstwhile Gwalior royal family and is married to former Dholpur King.

Raje is the sitting MLA from Jhalrapatan in Jhlawar district and has announced to fight the election from the same constituency.

Other aspirants include Siddhi Kumari, BJP's trusted candidate from Bikaner, who has won two times consecutively. Sidhi is the granddaughter of the former king of Bikaner.

Diya Kumari, grandgauther of Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur, who won the 2013 elections from Sawai Madhopur by defeating Kirodi Lal Meena of National People's Party, is also in the race.

Diya, who lives in Jaipur's city palace believes that Sawai Madhopur is her second home, as the town was founded by Sawai Mado Singh, an ancestor of her's.

She joined the BJP ahead of the 2013 polls and kicked off her poll campaign in presence of Narendra Modi.

Rohini Devi of the Karauli royal family, who won for the first time in 2008, could not win in 2013, but is back again to try her luck.

The latest royal to show interest in politics is the scion of the erstwhile Jaisalmer royal family, Raseshwari Rajya Lakshmi, the wife of Maharawal Brijraj Singh. But she is yet to join any party. Other ex-royals who are eyeing the polls include Randhir Singh of Bhinder town.

Last but not the least is the Vishvendra Singh from Deeg-Kumher constituency in Bharatpur, who joined BJP after quiting the Congress.

Royals who already have made their mark in politics, as well as newbies, are trying to reserve seats in the Congress, too.

Ijyaraj Singh, son of former maharaja Brijraj Singh of Kota was elected as MP from Kota in the 2009 elections, but lost in 2014. He is getting ready to contest the upcoming polls.

Jitendra Singh, member of erstwhile Alwar royal family is also active in the Congress. A minister in Manmohan Singh cabinet, Singh is known to be close to Rahul Gandhi. He is a two-time legislator from Alwar.

Aimamuddin Ahmed Khan, former health minister and the erstwhile nawab of Loharu is also aiming for a ticket.

Famously known as Duru Mian, Khan lost in the 2013 Assembly polls to Maman Singh of BJP from Tijara constituency.

A new aspirant in the Congress is Rukshmani Kumari of Chomu Thikana. Kumari is the President of All India Professional Congress and a social worker.