BJP’s 3rd Rajasthan list — ‘locals’ to challenge Gehlot & Pilot, 2018’s lone Muslim dropped

The BJP released its third list of candidates for the Rajasthan assembly elections Thursday, including fresh face Mahendra Singh Rathore against CM Ashok Gehlot.

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  another Raje loyalist, with Lala Ram Birwa in the Shahpura assembly constituency.

gIn 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  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.

o far, the party has unveiled a total of 183 candidates out of 200 in three lists.