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BJP fields first-timer against Gehlot

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI NOV. 10. The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to field a first-time contestant, Mahendra Jhabak, to oppose the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, in the Sardarpura Assembly constituency in the State. The party described Mr. Jhabak as an "enthusiastic supporter, who is a young industrialist belonging to the Vaishya (trading) community".

Unlike in Madhya Pradesh where a known face, a party general secretary, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, has been selected to contest against the Chief Minister, Digvijay Singh, it seemed that the party was not able to adopt a similar strategy in Rajasthan where its house is hopelessly divided. The State party president, Bhanwarlal Sharma, reportedly refused to contest citing ill-health and age. Surendra Parik will contest his seat, Hawa Mahal, in Jaipur.

The Social Justice Front leader, Devi Singh Bhatti, who has formed his own outfit with virtually a single-point demand — reservations for the poor among the upper castes — will find himself pitted against Gopal Gehlot of the BJP in the Kolayat Assembly segment.

In violation of an earlier decision that MLAs will not be allowed to shift their constituencies — there were reportedly a large number of such requests — the BJP's Central Election Committee allowed Kirorilal Meena to shift from Bamanvas to Sawai Madhopur to forestall the working of an anti-incumbency factor against him. Kunjilal Meena will now contest the Bamanvas tribal seat. Another senior leader, Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi, who lost the last Assembly election, was allowed to move from his earlier constituency, Kota, to try his luck in Digod.

In the Nadbai segment — one of the subjects of the quarrel between the Bharatpur MP, Vishvendra Singh, and party leaders — Jitendra Singh has been chosen to contest. The party is still hopeful of persuading Mr. Singh not to press his resignation from the Lok Sabha.

Late last night, the Central Election Committee finalised the second list of 73 candidates from the State. Tonight it cleared 21 more. With 93 candidates in the first list, the total number of candidates cleared by the party stands at 187. The party now has to decide its candidates for 13 seats.

The names cleared include the current Mayor of Jaipur, Sheel Dhabhai, who will contest from Kotputli. The former Mayor, Mohanlal Gupta, has been accommodated in the Kishan Pole segment. Ganga Ram, a former Congressman and an important Jat leader, will be fielded from Chohtan. A Muslim candidate, Yunus Khan, has been given the ticket from Deedwana. The first list also had one Muslim candidate.

Tonight, the party also cleared the names of four candidates from Madhya Pradesh.

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