2019 polls: BJP, Congress looking for six strong nominees each in Rajasthan

After declaring 19 nominees each so far for the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan, both the BJP and the Congress are now looking for six strong candidates.

The Congress is yet to declare nominees for Ajmer, Jhalawar, Bhilwara, Sriganganagar, Jaipur Rural and Rajsamand which are among the 13 constituencies in the state that go to polls in the first phase on April 29.

BJP leaders said the party is finding it difficult to finalise a candidate in Dausa constituency due to political rivalry of Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena and independent legislator Om Prakash Hudla, who had resigned from the BJP in 2017.

The Congress has fielded Savita Meena from the Dausa seat. She is the wife of the Congress MLA from Dausa constituency, Murari Meena Dausa.

The Congress has fielded three women candidates in the state, including Savita Meena, but not a single woman has found a place in the two lists released by the BJP so far.

In Nagaur, the candidature of Union minister C R Chaudhary is being opposed by several BJP leaders, they said.

Both the BJP and the Congress are yet to declare their nominees for the Rajsamand parliamentary seat.

Sitting BJP MP Hariom Singh refused to contest citing health issues. The name of erstwhile Jaipur royal family member Diya Kumari has been doing round for the Rajsamand seat, but some people are demanding ticket for a local candidate.

The BJP is yet to declare candidates for Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur and Barmer constituencies.

The Congress in its list has named Abhijeet Kumar Jatav for the Bharatpur seat, Sanjay Kumar Jatav for Karauli-Dholpur and former BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son, Manvendra Singh, for the Barmer seat.

Abhijeet Kumar had taken voluntary retirement from the Indian Revenue Services in 2013, whereas 30-year-old Sanjay Kumar refused to join a banking job in order to pursue his political dream.

The Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan are scheduled in two phases on April 29 and May 6.