BJP Unveils First List of Candidates for Rajasthan in General Elections

The BJP has revealed its initial list of 15 candidates for the upcoming general elections in Rajasthan, featuring notable figures such as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, four Union ministers, and Paralympian Devendra Jhajharia.

On Saturday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unveiled its initial list of 15 candidates from Rajasthan for the upcoming general elections. The list includes prominent names such as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, four Union ministers, and a renowned Paralympian.

Key Candidates and Notable Returns

Among the notable candidates, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje's son and incumbent MP Dushyant Singh has been chosen once again to contest from the Jhalawar Baran seat. Additionally, Mahendrajit Malviya and Jyoti Mirdha, who recently left the Congress and joined the BJP, have also secured tickets.

The party has retained BJP state president and sitting Chittorgarh MP C P Joshi. Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat from Jodhpur, and Kailash Chaudhary from Barmer will also be contesting from their respective seats.

New Faces and Sportsperson Representation

Rajya Sabha member and Union Minister Bhupendra Singh will represent the party in Alwar, while Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will once again contest from Kota. Paralympian Devendra Jhajharia, a celebrated javelin thrower and the first Indian athlete to win two gold medals at the Paralympics, has been nominated as the BJP candidate from Churu, replacing sitting MP Rahul Kaswan.

Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity, Jhajharia stated, "There is great enthusiasm among sportspersons. I am a son of a farmer, and farmers are also happy with this development." Meanwhile, Swami Sumedhanand Saraswati will continue to represent the Sikar constituency.

Confident of Sweeping Victory

BJP state president Joshi exuded confidence in the party's ability to secure all 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan. He remarked, "People have immense faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and we will win all 25 seats in the state."

Lok Sabha Speaker Birla, a two-time MP from Kota-Bundi, expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for his unwavering trust. The party has also fielded Bhupendra Yadav from the Alwar seat, which fell vacant after Baba Balaknath resigned as a Member of Parliament following his victory in the Rajasthan Assembly election from Tijara.

New Candidates and Strategic Choices

Among the new candidates, Ram Swarup will contest from Bharatpur, Lumbaram Chaudhary from Jalore, and Mannalal from Udaipur. Notably, the party has nominated Mahendrajit Malviya from Banswara, who previously served as a minister in the last Congress government but resigned as an MLA upon joining the BJP.

In a significant move, the party has fielded Jyoti Mirdha from Nagaur. Mirdha had left Congress to join the BJP ahead of the 2023 assembly elections. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had allocated the Nagaur seat to its NDA partner, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party. RLP candidate Hanuman Beniwal had won the seat by defeating Mirdha.

With the release of its first list of candidates, the BJP has set the stage for a competitive electoral battle in Rajasthan. The party's strategic choices and inclusion of prominent figures from various backgrounds reflect its determination to secure a strong mandate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.