14 sitting MPs repeated in Rajasthan, no woman in list

The BJP on Thursday announced its first list of 16 candidates for Rajasthan.

Out of the 184 names that were announced at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday evening, 16 candidates are from Rajasthan. While the party has shown trust on its old horses by repeating 14 of its sitting MPs, the two new faces fielded are Narendra Khinchal from Jhunjhunu and Bhagirath Chaudhary from Ajmer parliamentary seats.

The first list includes four Union ministers — Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Jaipur rural), Arjun Ram Meghwal (Bikaner), P P Chaudhary (Pali) and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Jodhpur).

The list brings an end to speculations on Jodhpur seat where Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot is likely to contest.

Similarly, the saffron party has repeated its four-time sitting MP Dushyant Singh from Jhalawar Baran seat and has put an end to speculations that his mother and former CM Vasundhara Raje will contest from this constituency.

Only woman MP dropped

The party has dropped the only woman MP from the state, Santosh Ahlawat, from Jhunjhunu seat and replaced her with Khinchad.

The erstwhile royal and former MLA Diya Kumari, who had expressed her desire to contest from Jaipur urban or Sawai Madhopur, is also missing from the list.

On both these seats, the party has fielded its existing lawmakers. "There were fewer chances of her getting a ticket from Jaipur rural. Rajyavardhan's name was almost final for the rural seat so which is why party preferred not to field another Rajput leader in Jaipur urban, a senior BJP leader told DH.

However, sources in the party suggest that she may contest the polls from Rajsamand seat which is also dominated by Rajput population.

The 25 parliamentary constituencies of Rajasthan will go to polls in two phases. In the fourth phase, polling will be held in 13 constituencies on April 29. The rest of the 12 seats will vote on May 6, the fifth phase.