Protest over dropped names in Rajasthan BJP list

A day after the BJP announced its first list of 41 candidates for the Rajasthan Assembly polls, at least five disappointed ticket aspirants — or their supporters — on Tuesday protested against the party.

In one case, supporters of a leader who was denied party ticket burned its flags.

Supporters of former BJP MLA from Jhotwara constituency Rajpal Singh Shekhawat protested against the candidature of BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore from the seat. Shekhawat’s supporters raised slogans demanding the removal of ”parachute” candidate to save the constituency. A video of the protest is doing rounds on social media.

A former minister, Shekhawat is said to be close to former chief minister Vasundhara Raje and had met her late last night after being denied a ticket.  ”In the list of 41 candidates, 10 are rebels,” Shekhawat told reporters after meeting Raje.   After being denied a ticket, BJP leader Mukesh Goyal, who fought unsuccessfully from Kotputli assembly seat in the 2018 elections, said the party will face a massive defeat in Kotputli.

”BJP will be confined to 40-50 seats in Rajasthan,” he told reporters in Kotputli.

Goyal’s supporters burned party flags to mark their protest against the candidature of Hansraj Patel from the seat in the November 23 elections.

Two-time MLA from Nagar assembly constituency of Bharatpur, Anita Singh has indicated that she will contest the elections despite being denied a ticket.

”Security deposit of the person who has got the ticket will be forfeited,” Singh said in a social media post. She is said to be close to former CM Raje.

Jawahar Singh Bedham, who contested unsuccessfully from Kaman seat in 2018, has been fielded by the BJP from Nagar assembly seat.

Another hopeful and former minister Rohitash Sharma has also opposed the party’s list.

With inputs from News18