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In BSP’s list of 11 candidates for Rajasthan polls, 7 to contest for the first time
BSP’s Rajasthan unit president Sitaram Meghwal said the names of the 11 candidates were chosen on the directions of party supremo Mayawati. The state votes on December 7.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) late Wednesday released its first list of candidates for the December 7 assembly election, confirming its nominees for 11 of the 200 seats that party supremo Mayawati has announced to contest without entering into an alliance with any political party.
Of the 11 named, seven candidates will be contesting assembly elections for the first time.
The BSP has nominated Pratap Singh Mehrawar, 45 (Deeg-Kumher), Jogendra Singh Avana, 47 (Nadbai), Wajib Ali, 36 (Nagar), and Atar Singh Pagaria, 50 (Weir, reserved for Scheduled Castes) in the four constituencies in Bharatpur district; Bhagchand Saini, 39 (Bandikui) and Phailiram Bairwa, 62 (Sikrai, reserved for SC) in Dausa district constituencies; Lakhan Singh Meena, 54 (Karauli) and Engineer Hansraj Meena, 35 (Sapotra, reserved for Scheduled Tribes) in Karauli district constituencies; Narendra Singh Aamli, 34 (Malpura) and Mohammad Ali, 63 (Tonk) in Tonk district constituencies; and Hansraj Meena, 61, from Sawai Madhopur constituency.
BSP state president Sitaram Meghwal, while declaring the names, said the party chose its 11 candidates on the directions of Mayawati, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh who has also held the membership of Rajya Sabha (2012-2017).
Of the 11 candidates, Md Ali and Bairwa have studied until Class 8, while Aamli and Saini until higher secondary; the remaining candidates are either graduates or postgraduates.
BSP Rajasthan office in-charge and treasurer Devilal Mahalana said Mehrawar (Deeg-Kumher) is a grassroots worker who will contest the election for the first time.
“The BSP has given ticket to him as he has a good hold on this constituency and it has given jitters to the Congress’ incumbent MLA Vishvendra Singh who is making efforts to change his seat to Nadbai,” Mahalana claimed.
Similarly, Avana will contest for the first time, too. The Nadbai candidate hails from the area and has business in Noida.
Wajib Ali, an engineer contesting from Nagar, had lost to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Anita with a margin of more than 8,000 votes in the previous elections. He wanted to contest for the BSP but was denied the ticket and went with the National People’s Party (NPP).
Aamli (Malpura) is another first-time contestant. He has been trying to secure a BSP ticket since the 2008 assembly elections.
Engineer Hansraj Meena, also contesting for first time, has been fielded from Sapotara. His father is a sitting sarpanch.
The family was close to Kirori Lal Meena, who was the NPP MLA from Lalsot, but recently joined the BJP and presently Rajya Sabha MP.
Mahalana said that “the family of engineer Hansraj Meena got annoyed with Kirori Lal because of him being opportunist and broke ties with him.”
Hansraj Meena, a retired government officer has been fielded from Sawai Madhopur, while Phailiram Bairwa, a party worker, has been fielded from Sikarai; Mohammad Ali, who is also a party office-bearer, has been fielded from Tonk.
All these three candidates are also contesting for the first time.
Pagaria (Weir) had contested twice on BSP ticket — in 2008 and 2013 — and lost on both occasions.
Saini contested from Bandikui as an Independent candidate in 2013 and secured 11,691 votes. This time he will be contesting the same seat, but for the BSP, as the party considers him “a good social worker”.
Meena (Karauli) had contested for the NPP in the 2013 elections and secured 33,755 votes but he eventually lost.
