Rajasthan: In High Command V/S Gehlot Loyalists, Only Shanti Dhariwal Wins, Secures Ticket In Congress' Last List

Congress released its seventh list of candidates on Sunday (5 November) for the Rajasthan Assembly elections scheduled for 25 November with 21 names giving the much-awaited ticket to Cabinet Minister Shanti Dhariwal.

Notably, there was much buzz in political circles about the candidature of Gehlot loyalists Mahesh Joshi, Shanti Dhariwal and RTDC chairman Dharmendra Rathore, who played key roles in the 2022 defiance against a high command directive.

However, Hawa Mahal MLA Joshi couldn't secure a ticket from there and it was instead given to RR Tiwari. Swarajya had earlier reported that ED raids against him could jeopardise his chances of getting a ticket.

Similarly, Rathore, who has not been an MLA, was eyeing for a ticket from Ajmer North but couldn't get it. Only one of these three, Shanti Dhariwal could get a ticket from Kota North, a constituency he has represented multiple times.

In Congress' last list, seven MLAs were denied a ticket. However, among them, Cabinet Ministers Lalchand Kataria and Hemaram Choudhary, and Parasram Moradiya had themselves decided to not contest elections.

Kataria was representing Jhotwara, from where BJP has fielded Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathod. Congress has fielded NSUI state president Abhishek Chaudhary from here.

Congress MLA from Bari, Girraj Singh Malinga joined the BJP and got a ticket from there. Congress instead fielded Prashant Singh Parmar.