Congress and its alliance have announced 24 candidates on 25 seats in Rajasthan. Announcement on only Banswara seat is left. It is speculated that the Congress is in talks with Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) for this seat. Among other allies, Congress has left Sikar for CPI (M) and Nagaur for RLP.
The party on Monday, announced candidates on four seats – Kota, Ajmer, Bhilwara and Rajsamand. It has fielded fresh faces on all these seats including Prahlad Gunjal from Kota. Gunjal has quit BJP to join Congress few days back. In the assembly elections, Gunjal had lost to Shanti Dhariwal on Kota (North) seat.
From Ajmer, Congress has fielded Ramchandra Choudhary, who is chairman of dairy. He will take on the sitting MP Bhagirath Choudhary, who had lost assembly election from Kishangarh. In the last elections Congress had fielded industrialist Riju Jhujhunwala, who is chairman and managing director of RSWM, a leading textile manufacturing company. Jhunjhunwala has joined BJP.
The party has placed its bet on Damodar Gurjar from Bhilwara. He has replaced Rampal Sharma, who has also joined BJP.
From Rajasamand, Congress has fielded Sudarshan Singh Rawat, who is former MLA from Bhim. In last elections Congress had fielded Devakinandan Gurjar, who had lost to Diya Kumari, who is now deputy chief minister of Rajasthan.
The most interesting battle is brewing in Kota where two arch rivals would be facing off. Gunjal and Om Birla, despite being in the same party are known to be biggest rivals. Now that Gunjal has left BJP to take on Om Birla in Kota, eyes of all poll analysts are on this contest.
Gunjal may have to face internal rift in Congress as MLA from Congress Shanti Dhariwal is also said to have sour relationship with him. Gunjal will have to do something extraordinary to get past Om Birla, who has strong hold in Kota.
