Jaipur:
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s loyalist Shanti Dhariwal has finally got a ticket — from the Kota North seat. But Mr Gehlot’s key loyalist and confidante, Dharmendra Rathore, was bypassed again. This evening, the Congress — which is hoping to buck the state’s revolving door tradition — released its seventh list of 21 candidates for the assembly polls on November 25. The party has so far announced all candidates for the state’s 200 assembly seats.
Mr Rathore was seeking a ticket from the Ajmer North constituency. But the Congress fielded Mahendra Singh Ralawata from the seat instead.
Mr Dhariwal and Mr Rathore were among the three senior state leaders against whom the party’s disciplinary committee had issued notices last year.
They had led the rebels who refused to accept Sachin Pilot as the Chief Mnister when the party wanted Mr Gehlot to stand of the party president’s post.
Mr Rathore and Mr Dhariwal did not attend a Legislature Party meeting that was being held following the instructions of the party’s Central leadership. They held a parallel meeting of MLAs instead.
Mahesh Joshi, the third leader who was issued a notice by the party’s disciplinary committee, has already been denied a ticket for the Assembly polls.
The last date for filing nominations is November 6. Elections are due in Rajasthan on November 25. The counting of votes will take place on December 5 along with four other states.
In 2018, the Congress had won 99 seats while the BJP won 73 in the 200-member house. Ashok Gehlot came to power with the support of BSP MLAs and independents.
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