Rajasthan Elections: Why Congress And BJP Are Going Slow On Ticket Distribution, Explained

Despite less than a month left for Rajasthan Assembly elections scheduled for 25 November, both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress are going slow on ticket distribution. This is because of the protests that both parties are facing over ticket denial.

BJP released its second list on Saturday and has named a total of 124 candidates, while Congress' second list came on Sunday taking the count of announced candidates to just 76 in the 200-seat Assembly.

Among these 76 candidates, most are incumbents or individuals in seats where there is little dispute over candidature, including Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra.

The list also includes cabinet ministers BD Kalla, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, Mamta Bhupesh, Bhajan Lal Jatav, Udai Lal Anjana, Parsadi Lal Meena, Ramlal Jat, Shakuntala Rawat and Pramod Jain Bhaya.

Disappointed over ticket distribution, Congress leader Pandit Suresh Mishra, who is the national president of the Sarv Brahmin Mahasabha, defected to the BJP. His departure came a day after the Congress fielded another Brahmin leader, Pushpendra Bhardwaj, from the Sanganer Assembly seat in Jaipur, overlooking Mishra's claim. Mishra had previously contested the 2008 Assembly elections on a Congress ticket.

Mishra, a prominent advocate of Sachin Pilot, made a significant gesture last year when he penned a letter in his own blood to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. In the letter, he strongly criticised the events of 25 September 2022, when lawmakers loyal to CM Gehlot boycotted a legislature party meeting and submitted their resignations. This was done in an attempt to prevent the party's central leadership from appointing Sachin Pilot as the CM.

Mishra, explaining his decision to switch to the BJP, stated, "There were discussions of undermining the principles of Sanatan Dharma. I chose not to remain in a party where I had dedicated 15 years of my life but felt disrespected." He made this statement during his announcement of joining the BJP on Monday, Indian Express reported.

Another Congress Brahmin leader, Mahesh Sharma, stepped down from his position as the chairman of the Rajasthan Rajya Vipra Kalyan Board, which is responsible for the community's welfare. He expressed his frustration after being denied a ticket to contest from the Malviya Nagar Assembly seat in Jaipur.

Instead, the Congress has nominated senior leader Archana Sharma, who previously ran in the Assembly elections from this constituency in both 2013 and 2018 without success.

In Mahwa, under the Dausa district, Congress workers protested after the party announced incumbent Independent MLA Om Prakash Hudla as its candidate. They demanded that a local Congress worker be given the ticket. Hudla has won twice in Mahwa, once on a BJP ticket and later as an Independent.

Congress sources revealed that one reason for the delay in naming candidates is the anticipation of protests over tickets for Independent MLAs and BSP legislators who had switched to the Congress after the 2018 elections.

Local Congress workers in many areas oppose the candidature of these "outsider" leaders, but CM Gehlot has expressed his gratitude to these MLAs for supporting his government, leaving them hopeful about receiving Congress tickets.

One such example is Dungar Ram Gedar who received a Congress ticket from Suratgarh. He had contested earlier on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket in 2013 and 2018 but lost both times.

Similarly, Dr Anjali Yadav is protesting against Congress giving a ticket to Lalit Yadav from Mundawar. He unsuccessfully contested on the BSP ticket in 2018.

Meanwhile, the BJP is also facing protests from sitting MLAs who were denied tickets. Chittorgarh MLA Chandrabhan Singh Akya yesterday declared to contest as an independent after BJP gave the ticket to Vidyadhar Nagar MLA Narpat Singh Rajvi from his constituency.

Other than this, protests were observed against BJP candidates in Bundi, Alwar City, Udaipur, Bikaner East, Makrana, Chomu, Rajsamand and Sanganer.