The names of the final set of probable candidates for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections were discussed by the Congress’ central election committee on October 30.
Senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, former presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal attended the committee’s meeting on Rajasthan.
Of the 200 seats, the party has so far announced the names of candidates for 95 seats, even though over 100 names have been cleared, while some contentious names were put on hold. Without specifying a number, a senior source in the party told The Hindu that a few sitting MLAs may be dropped on the basis of their performance, and feedback from the ground.
The party’s top leadership is treading carefully, given the State unit’s history of a leadership tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy, Sachin Pilot.
Mr. Gehlot, who is said to be opposed to the idea of dropping too many sitting MLAs publicly, announced that he had adopted a “forget and forgive” policy and did not oppose the names of even the MLAs who had joined Mr. Pilot during the latter’s July 2020 rebellion.
However, there is no clarity on some of the key names that are said to have been put on hold. They could include outgoing chief whip Mahesh Joshi, and Ministers Shanti Kumar Dhariwal and Dharmendra Rathore, who were issued show cause notices for “gross indiscipline”. They are believed to be the leaders who leaned on other MLAs to refuse to hold a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in September 2022, which was meant to elect a new leader.
Another MLA, Dheeraj Gujjar, is also said to have been put on hold even though he isn’t from the Chief Minister’s camp.
While Mr. Gehlot is learnt to have questioned the reliability of ground surveys, Mr. Pilot’s supporters are keenly watching the fate of the MLAs and leaders who played a role in preventing the CLP meeting. Mr. Pilot, The Hindu has learnt, recently called on Mr. Kharge at his official residence in Delhi, even though there is no word on what transpired.
Taking to X on Monday, Mr. Kharge said: “This time the tradition will change in Rajasthan, relief for the public and happiness will prevail! Health insurance, affordable cooking gas cylinders and development for farmers, Griha Lakshmi for women and uplift of youngsters! Rajasthan will re-elect the Congress and public welfare schemes will be respected.”
So far, only one MLA, Shafia Zubair, has been dropped in the three lists announced by the Congress. Ms. Zubair, the MLA from Ramgarh, has been replaced by her husband, Zubair Khan.
The party has given the ticket from Nokha to Sushila Dudi, wife of former MLA and Chairperson of the Agro-Industries Development Board, Rameshwar Dudi, who is recuperating from brain haemorrhage.
The 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will go to polls on November 25, and counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.
