Since the announcement of the election dates, political temperatures are high in all states as the battle inches close with each passing day. In Rajasthan, Congress has announced 10 candidates and BJP has announced 15 candidates. The remaining candidates are likely to be announced in a day or two. Voting for Jaipur and Jaipur Rural seats is to be held in the first phase on March 26. BJP and Congress are yet to release have not yet declared candidates. There is a long list of contenders for both these Lok Sabha seats. About 14 leaders are in the race for tickets from BJP while there are discussions about four contenders in Congress. For the first time, four women leaders are also making a strong claim for the ticket.
Four women leaders in competition for Jaipur ticket
Former mayor of Jaipur Jyoti Khandelwal is among the strong contenders of BJP from Jaipur city seat. She had contested the last Lok Sabha elections on Congress ticket. Just before the assembly elections, she left Congress and joined BJP. She had claimed the ticket from Kishanpol and Hawamahal in the assembly elections but did not get the ticket. Now she is seeking ticket from Jaipur Lok Sabha seat. Former chairperson of the Women's Commission and senior BJP leader Suman Sharma is also seeking Lok Sabha ticket. On the other hand, former minister Bhanwarlal Sharma's daughter Manju Sharma and Rakhi Rathod have also submitted their claim.
BJP contenders in Jaipur city
Ramcharan Bohra is currently the MP from Jaipur City Lok Sabha seat. The party had given a chance to Bohra twice in a row in 2014 and 2019. Although this time also Bohra is being considered strong, there is also discussion in the political circles that this time the party will change the ticket for Jaipur city. Leaders that are claiming for Jaipur City Lok Sabha seat include former minister Arun Chaturvedi, city BJP president Raghav Sharma, former city president Shailendra Bhargava, Punjabi Mahasabha's Ravi Nayyar, Sunil Kothari, current MLA Gopal Sharma, Pandit Suresh Mishra, who left Congress and joined BJP, Jyoti Khandelwal, former mayor Vishnu Lata, The names of Ashok Lahoti, Deputy Mayor Punit Karnavat and Vipra Sena chief Sunil Tiwari are also included.
These names of BJP are in discussion from Jaipur rural seat
Lalchand Kataria's name from BJP is considered to be the strongest for Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha seat. Reports said that it is being believed that BJP has brought Kataria into BJP only by promising him Lok Sabha ticket. The name of a former woman army officer Priyanka Chaudhary is also in discussion from Jaipur Rural seat. However, considering Jaipur Rural seat as a Rajput seat, many Rajput leaders are also claiming the ticket. In the past, Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has been MP for two consecutive terms. In such a situation, Rao Rajendra Singh and Rajpal Singh Shekhawat of Rajput community are also staking claim. The name of Bhavani Singh Kalvi, son of late Lokendra Singh Kalvi, a senior leader of Rajput community, is also in discussions.
The list of contenders in BJP is quite long but in Congress has only a few selected leaders that are being considered as contenders for the ticket. The name of RR Tiwari is in discussion from Jaipur city who lost the recent assembly elections by just 974 votes. Tiwari is also the District President of Jaipur City Congress. Current MLA Rafiq Khan is also contesting. Former ministers Pratapsingh Khachariyawas and Dr. Mahesh Joshi are also among the contenders. Anil Chopra is the strongest contender from Jaipur Rural.
