New Delhi: The BJP’s third list of candidates for the Rajasthan assembly election has a few surprises. Mahendra Singh Rathore, a relatively unknown face and former chairman of the Jodhpur Development Authority, will face Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in Sardarpura. Further, Vasundhara Raje loyalist Yunus Khan— the BJP’s only Muslim candidate in the last election— has been dropped from Deedwana.
In the previous assembly election in 2018, Yunus Khan had been the incumbent MLA from Deedwana, a Muslim-dominated constituency. However, he had been chosen to face off against Sachin Pilot in Tonk at the last moment that year, replacing Ajit Mehta. Khan, who lost against Pilot, had been the BJP’s only Muslim candidate.
Now, former MLA Ajit Mehta will challenge Sachin Pilot in Tonk.
In its latest list of 58 candidates, released Thursday, the BJP has also announced the replacement of rebel and former speaker Kailash Meghwal, another Raje loyalist, with Lala Ram Birwa in the Shahpura assembly constituency.
So far, the party has unveiled a total of 183 candidates out of 200 in three lists.
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No Muslim candidates so far
In the 2013 assembly election, the BJP fielded four Muslim candidates, two of whom won — Habibur Rahman from Nagaur seat (who later joined the Congress) and Yunus Khan from Deedwana. Subsequently, Khan became PWD minister and was said to be close to Vasundhara Raje.
The decision to field him from Tonk in 2018 had reportedly been a decision that Vasundhara Raje had insisted on. All the other three Muslim candidates who had contested in 2013 were denied tickets in that election.
Now, the BJP has announced Jitendra Singh Jodha as the candidate from the Deedwana constituency, and there is now speculation that the disgruntled Khan may join the Congress.
A senior Rajasthan BJP leader told ThePrint that Vasundhara was a strong advocate of Yunus Khan, but that other party leaders did not necessarily agree.
“Yunus Khan was not a favourite of the RSS, but he was a favourite of Vasundhara Raje. The BJP fielded him against Sachin Pilot in 2018 to divide the Muslim vote in Tonk, which has a significant Muslim population,” he said.
Khan’s ascent in politics started after Bhairon Singh Shekhawat chose him to fight from Deedwana, a Muslim-dominated constituency. Khan won the seat in 2003 and 2013.
However, Yunus Khan’s influence in BJP’s Hindutva politics in Rajasthan has waned over the years. The BJP has not fielded any Muslim candidates in its list of 182 candidates so far.
Notably, the party has nominated Hindu religious figure Mahant Balmukund Acharya as its candidate from the Jaipur Hawa Mahal seat, which has a large Muslim population. This is seen as a move to polarise votes.
‘Wanted local candidates against Gehlot, Pilot’
Incumbent Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, a five-time MLA from his bastion Sardarpura, will face a relative newcomer to electoral politics, Mahendra Singh Rathore, who served as the chairman of the Jodhpur Development Authority under Vasundhara Raje.
Taking on Sachin Pilot in Tonk is Ajit Mehta, who won the seat in 2013 but was replaced by Yunus Khan as the BJP candidate in 2018. Pilot, who won the Tonk seat in 2018, had previously only contested Lok Sabha elections.
The senior Rajasthan leader, quoted earlier, said: “The party explored the option of fielding a strong candidate against Ashok Gehlot. It was initially even considered that an MP should be brought into the fray. However, it was later decided to stick with a local candidate to take on Gehlot and Sachin.”
The candidates declared by the party Thursday include many from weak seats. The list also has several turncoats from the Congress and Hanuman Beniwal’s Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP).
Additionally, eight sitting MLAs have been retained in the third list, and seven women candidates have been fielded.
The list, notably, includes over 20 leaders who are considered Vasundhara loyalists, including seven former ministers.
Rajendra Meena, the nephew of Kirodi Lal Meena, has also secured a ticket. Additionally, Poonam Kanwar Bhari, the daughter-in-law of veteran leader Devi Singh Bhatti, has been nominated to contest from Kolayat.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
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