BJP releases first list for Rajasthan Assembly elections

New Delhi, Nov 9 (UNI) The BJP tonight cleared the names of Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje and 35 MLAs in the first list of 95 candidates, dropping a dozen sitting MLAs for the coming Rajasthan Assembly polls.

The Central Election Committee, which met under the presidentship of Rajnath Singh, also renominated Mrs Raje and MP Nihal Singh to contest from Jhalra Patan Rai Singh Nagar constituencies. The list includes 15 women, 19 Scheduled Caste and 10 Scheduled Tribe candidates, party General Secretary Ananth Kumar told newspersons here.

The party has denied tickets to 12 MLAs in the list cleared because of change of constituencies and delimitation as well as social and political reasons. No minister has been denied a ticket so far.

The party is holding discussions with the Janata Dal (United) and the Indian National Lok Dal of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, but the party is not willing to give the number of seats for which the negotiations are being held.

The CEC will be meeting again on November 13 to finalise the rest of the seats.

Following is the list cleared by the BJP CEC-- Gudjant Singh (Sadulshehr), Rampratap Kasnia (Suratgarh), Nihalchand (Raisingh Nagar-SC), Harnek Singh Kaler (Anupgarh-SC), Damayanti Benival (Sangria), Dr Rampratap (Hanumangarh), Dharmendra Mochi (Pilibanga-SC), Abhishek Matolia (Nohar), Jaideep Dudi (Bhadra), Dr Viswanath Meghawal (Kajuwala-SC), Gopal Joshi (Bikaner West), Devi Singh Bhati (Kolayat), Biharilal Vishnoi (Nokha), Kamla Kaswa (Sadhulpur), Rajendra Singh Thakur (Tara Nagar), Ashok Pincha (Sardar Shehar), Harlal Sarang (Churu).

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