Four ministers, 15 legislators dropped in BJP’s second list for Rajasthan election - Hindustan Times
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Four ministers, 15 legislators dropped in BJP’s second list for Rajasthan election

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | By
Nov 15, 2018 01:03 PM IST

Dropping cabinet ministers Rajkumar Rinwa, Babulal Verma, Jeetmal Khant and Dhan Singh Rawat, the saffron party has put faith in 21 new faces, keeping its focus firm on social engineering and balancing of caste equations.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday released its second list of candidates for the December 7 Rajasthan assembly elections, declaring nominees from 31 constituencies.

Rashtriya Loktatrik Party chief Hanuman Beniwal files nomination from Khinwsar.(HT Photo)
Rashtriya Loktatrik Party chief Hanuman Beniwal files nomination from Khinwsar.(HT Photo)

Dropping cabinet ministers Rajkumar Rinwa, Babulal Verma, Jeetmal Khant and Dhan Singh Rawat, the saffron party has put faith in 21 new faces, keeping its focus firm on social engineering and balancing of caste equations.

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After voices of dissatisfaction and resignations emerged following the declaration of the first list of 131 candidates late Sunday night, which saw two ministers and 25 sitting legislators dropped, the ruling party went undeterred as it axed 15 incumbent legislators on Wednesday, and replacing seats of a few others. “This list too bears chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s stamp. She was strongly backing (Kalicharan) Saraf and (Rajpal Singh) Shekhawat and they have been accommodated in the second list,” said political analyst Narayan Bareth.

He said the axing of a large number of MLAs showed that the elected representatives had not performed during the five years and the party did not take corrective steps.

For both Saraf (health minister) and Shekhawat (industries minister), the list came as a relief given the uncertainty over the inclusion of their names. Saraf, who faced charges of corruption, was renominated from Malviya Nagar constituency while Shekhawat was repeated from Jhotwara.

Food and civil supplies minister Babual Verma’s ticket was cut from Keshoraipatan. He was replaced by MLA Chandrakanta Meghwal whose axing from Ramganjmandi was a surprise.

Rinwa, the MLA from Ratangarh, was replaced by Abhinesh Maharishi who had joined the BJP just two days back.

He had contested on a Congress ticket in 2008 and on a BSP ticket in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Minister of state for Panchayati Raj Dhan Singh Rawat was axed from Banswara. MLA Gyandev Ahuja who courted several controversies over his communally coloured remarks and cow politics was also axed.

Those MLAs who were dropped were Rajkumari Jatav from Hindaun City, Jeetmal Kant from Garhi, Laxminarayan Bairwa from Chaksu, Rani Silautia from Basedi. Stalwart leader Kishna Ram Nai was axed from Sridoongargarh and was replaced by Tarachand Saraswat.

Pratap Puri, a Rajput leader was brought in from Pokaran to mitigate the damage of Manvendra Singh’s exit from the BJP. Khaman Singh, a new face, was given the ticket from Sheo, Manvendra Singh’s earlier seat.

Two leaders who joined the BJP from Congress – Gurdip Sahapini and Ashok Sharma – were also given tickets. Sharma, son of senior Congress leader Banwari Sharma, will be fielded from Rajakheda. Sahapini was given the ticket from Sangaria.

Another Congress leader Mahesh Pratap Singh, ex-royal of Nathdwara, was given the ticket from Nathdwara.

Congress spokesperson Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said people are not waiting for BJP list as they have cheated and insulted people despite getting huge mandate. “No matter how many ticket they deny to sitting ministers or MLAs- they cannot hide their sins. People do not want to defeat MLA or ministers but CM Vasundhara Raje and BJP,” he said.

Manju Kherwal who had contested as independent in the last elections was given the ticket from Hindaun City, replacing Rajkumari Jatav on the reserved seat. Among those candidates who were repeated were Gopal Joshi from Bikaner (West), Ratan Jaldhari from Sikar, Premchand Bairwa from Dudu and Kailash Verma from Bagru.

Vikram Bansiwal who was being backed by Kirori Lal Meena was brought in from Sikrai.

In Wednesday’s meeting, differences cropped up between chief minister Vasundhara Raje and Kirori Lal Meena over fielding of MLA Om Prakash Hudla from Mahua, said sources.

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