The Congress released its second list for the Rajasthan assembly elections. (File)
The Congress on Sunday released its second list of 43 candidates for the November 25 Rajasthan assembly elections, fielding 35 sitting MLAs, including 15 state ministers, and former chief secretary Niranjan Arya.
The list also contains the names five MLAs who won in the 2018 assembly elections as independents and supported the Congress government during the political crisis in 2020. Three women ministers -- Shakuntala Rawat, Naseem Akhtar Insaf and Sushila Dudi -- are also in the list. Former chief secretary Niranjan Arya has been fielded from the Sojat (SC) seat.
Two ministers who raised the banner of revolt with former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot during the political crisis also find their names in the list.
From the Nokha seat, the party has given the ticket to Sushila Dudi, the wife of former leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Gurugram.
In a post on X in Hindi, Chief Minister Gehlot congratulated all the candidates nominated by the Central Election Committee of Congress. He said it is necessary to work tirelessly and get the blessings of the people to speed up the progress achieved during this government.
He urged all Congress members to ensure the victory of the party in their respective areas to give a "concrete shape to the concept of No 1 Rajasthan." State ministers Govind Ram Meghwal and B D Kalla have been fielded from Khajuwala (Scheduled Caste) and Bikaner West, respectively. Minister of State for Higher Education Rajendra Singh Yadav was fielded from the Kotputli seat.
Other ministers in the list are: Brijendra Singh Ola from Jhunjhunu, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas from Civil Lines, Shakuntala Rawat from Bansur, Vishvendra Singh from Deeg-Kumher, Bhajan Lal Jatav from Weir, Murari Lal Meena from Dausa.
Minister Parsadi Lal Meena has been fielded from Lalsot, Sukhram Vishnoi from Sanchore, Arjun Lal Bamaniya from Banswara, Udai Lal Anjana from Nimbahera, Ramlal Jat from Mandal and Pramod Jain Bhaya from Anta.
Five independent candidates who stood with the Congress government during the 2020 political crisis -- Laxman Meena, Babulal Nagar, Khushveer Singh, Sanyam Lodha and Omprakash Hudla -- have been fielded in the election. The party has also given tickets to Naseem Akhtar Insaf, Pushkar Lal Dangi, Raghuveer Singh and Nanalal Ninama. The four had unsuccessfully contested the 2018 elections.
The party has so far announced 76 candidates for the polls. The first list of 33 candidates was released on Saturday.
Twenty state ministers find their names in the two list with sources saying the names of Urban Development and Housing Minister Shanti Dhariwal and PHED Minister Mahesh Joshi -- who were served showcause notices for not adhering to the high command orders during the political crisis in the state -- are still under consideration. Going against the party's whip, Shanti Dhariwal and Mahesh Joshi, along with minister Pratap Singh Kharchariyawas, had held a meeting at Dhariwal's residence with MLAs supporting Ashok Gehlot as chief minister.
The polls to the 200-member assembly will be held on November 25 and the results will be declared on December 3.
The Congress seeks to retain power on the strength of its work over the past five years and welfare schemes announced by the Gehlot government.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)