The final phase of last day of nomination for the by-elections to be held on seven seats in the state is Friday. Candidates will be able to file their nominations till 3 pm in the afternoon. With the announcement of candidates on all seven seats by the Congress, a triangular contest has started appearing on three seats. These include Khinvsar, Salumbhar and Chaurasi assembly seats. However, till the last day of withdrawal of nominations, the rebels or independents will be persuaded. The situation will be clear only after that, but looking at the current circumstances, three seats are stuck for BJP-Congress. However, a direct contest between BJP-Congress is certain on the other four seats.
In fact, Bharat Adivasi Party has created problems for Congress-BJP by fielding its candidates on Salumbhar and Chaurasi seats. Rashtriya Loktantrik Party supremo Hanuman Beniwal is fielding his wife Kanika Beniwal from his traditional seat Khinvsar this time. However, Rajendra Gudha, who was a minister in the previous Congress government and is currently a part of the Shiv Sena Shinde faction, has also filed nomination papers for his wife Nisha Kanwar from Jhunjhunu.
He has filed his nomination as an independent candidate. In Dausa, BJP has fielded Jagmohan Meena, brother of Dr Kirori Lal Meena, who has resigned from the post of cabinet minister, while Congress has fielded Deendayal Bairwa. Congress has once again played the nepotism card from Jhunjhunu, the traditional seat of the Ola family. Congress has fielded Amit Ola, son of Brijendra Ola, who became an MP from an MLA. While BJP has expressed confidence in Rajendra Bhambhu.
Congress’s Harischandra Meena, who became MLA from Deoli-Uniiara seat of Tonk district in 2023, contested and won the MP election. Now in the by-election, Congress has bet on KC Meena as a new face on this seat. While BJP has fielded Rajendra Gurjar. There will be a face-to-face contest between BJP and Congress on this Gurjar and Meena dominated seat.
Khinvsar of Nagaur district is the traditional seat of Hanuman Beniwal. This seat became vacant when Beniwal became MP after winning by a narrow margin in the 2023 elections. Now, BJP has fielded Revant Ram Danga, who will give a tough challenge to Beniwal in the 2023 elections. While Congress has made the contest interesting by giving ticket to Sawai Singh Chaudhary’s wife Ratan Chaudhary. Singh himself has contested against Beniwal on a Congress ticket in 2018. At the same time, Hanuman Beniwal has fielded his wife, Kanika Beniwal.
The Chorasi seat of Dungarpur district is the traditional seat of Rajkumar Roat of Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP). He first became an MLA from BTP and in 2023 from Bharat Adivasi Party. After he became an MP, BAP has made Anil Katara the candidate. He is currently a Zilla Parishad member. Congress has given a chance to young candidate Mahesh Roat on this seat. While BJP has fielded Karilal Nanoma, he is the Pradhan from Simalwara Panchayat Samiti. Similarly, on this seat vacated due to the death of Salumbhar BJP MLA Amritlal Meena, BJP has played the sympathy card and fielded Amritlal Meena’s wife Shanta Devi in the election. While Congress has given ticket to Reshma Meena on this seat. Jitesh Katara of Bharat Adivasi Party is also in the fray. He got around 50 thousand votes in the 2023 assembly elections and stood third.
This seat has fallen vacant due to the death of the sitting MLA, Congress’s Zubair Khan. Congress has played the sympathy card on this seat and has given ticket to Zubair Khan’s son Aryan Khan. BJP has fielded Sukhwant Singh. Sukhwant Singh contested on a BJP ticket in 2018 and rebelled on an Azad Samaj Party ticket after not getting a ticket in 2023.
Following candidates file nominations
Jhunjhunu:Amit Ola of Congress, Rajendra Singh Bhambu of BJP, Independent Kailash Kadwasra, Independent Madho Singh, Narendra Singh from Indian People’s Green Party, Independent Nisha Kanwar, Amin from Azad Samaj Party Kanshiram filed nomination.
Ramgarh: Congress candidate Aryan Zubair and BJP candidate Sukhwant Singh filed their nominations.
Dausa: Jagmohan from BJP, Ritu Sharma from Indian People’s Green Party, Independent Puran Mal Maurya, Independent Virendra Kumar Sharma, Independent Devi Singh, Rohit Kumar Sharma, Dulichand Saini from Rajasthan Raj Party and Ghanshyam Sharma from LJPRV filed their nominations.
Deoli-Uniara: BJP’s Rajendra Chaudhary filed his nomination.
Khinvsar: Independent Rakesh, Rambabu, Ratan Chaudhary from Congress and Sawai Singh Chaudhary as Congress’s dummy candidate have filed their nominations.
Salumbar: Independent Savita Kumari, Shanta Devi from BJP, Avinash as BJP’s dummy candidate and Jitesh Kumar Meena from Bharat Adivasi Party have filed their nominations.
Chorasi: Independent Badami Lal has filed his nomination.