The list includes 29 sitting MLAs, with sure-shot names like Ashok Gehlot (from his traditional stronghold of Sardarpura, Jodhpur), Sachin Pilot (Tonk), CP Joshi, Govind Dotasara, and Harish Chaudhary.An office-bearer said the candidates are mostly leaders between 40 and 50 years of age, from different castes, and the first list mix is designed to appeal toyouth and women.
Crucially, missing from the list were names of senior ministers Shanti Dhariwal, Mahesh Joshi, and Rajasthan tourism board chairman Dharmendra Rathore, the three who came under a scanner for the boycott of the Congress Legislature Party meeting last September. The candidature of Dheeraj Gujjar, attached as AICC secretary to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is pending. But sources said he may be looking for a change of constituency.
Three who had lost the elections in 2018 have been given tickets — Archana Sharma from Malviya Nagar (Jaipur), Pushpendra Bharadwaj from Sanganer (Jaipur), and Vivek Dhakar from Mandalgarh (Bhilwara).
Rajasthan Assembly polls: Ashok Gehlot says CM post is not leaving him, this is how BJP responded
In Nathdwara, Speaker CP Joshi will take on a political newbie, erstwhile Udaipur royal Vishvaraj Singh Mewar, who joined BJP this week, while a keen battle is on the cards in Lachmangarh where state Congress chief Dotasara faces former Union minister and BJP candidate Subhash Maharia. Another keen contest will be in Sawai Madhopur, where BJP Rajya Sabha member Kirori Lal Meena is pitted against young Congress MLA Danish Abrar.