Rajasthan Assembly polls: 562 candidates withdraw nomination

Jaipur: A total of 562 candidates pulled out from the fray on the last day of withdrawing nominations for the Assembly elections in Rajasthan. With this, 2,153 candidates including big names like CM Ashok Gehlot, state BJP chief Vasundhara Raje, Assembly Speaker Dipendra Singh Shekhawat, Congress state chief Chandrabhan and NCW chairperson Mamta Sharma are left in the contest for 200 Assembly seats going to polls.

Out of 2715 valid nominations, 562 candidates have withdrawn their names till this evening, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer said. Congress and opposition BJP have fielded candidates on all 200 constituencies, whereas BSP is fighting on 197 seats, National People`s Party on 142, CPM 37 and CPI on 23 seats. 896 independents are also contesting the polls, an officer said. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will contest from Sardarpura seat in Jodhpur district, from where BJP has fielded Shambhu Singh Khetasar, a Rajput candidate. BJP state President Vasundhara Raje will contest from the Jhalarapatan seat. PCC President Chandrabhan is up against a triangular contest with sitting MLA Rita Choudhary (a Congress rebel contesting as independent) and BJP`s Saleem Tanwar from Mandwa seat in Jhunjhunu seat. Assembly Speaker Dipendra Singh Shekhawat will try his fortune from Srimadhopur seat against BJP candidate Jhabar Singh Khara. Mamta Sharma, chairman of NCW, will face poll battle from Bundi seat. Commonwealth Games gold medallist Krishna Poonia will contest from Sadulpur assembly seat against the sitting BJP MLA Kamla Baswa. Former Minister Mahipal Maderna`s wife Leela Maderna and legislator Malkhan Singh Vishnoi`s mother Amri Devi are contesting from Osian and Luni Assembly seats. Both Maderna and Bishnoi are accused in the Bhanwari Devi rape and murder case. Ex-minister Babulal Nagar`s brother Hazari Lal Nagar will be contesting against BJP candiate Prem Chand Bairwa from Dudu seat. Nagar is in jail in an alleged rape case. Ramlal Jat, who had to step down as minister for being accused of sexual harassment of women, will contest from a new seat Asind of Bhilwara district against BJP`s Ramlal Gurjar.