While Pilot, a former MP, will be contesting the assembly polls for the first time, Gehlot has twice been the chief minister of the state.
Photo: Twitter Screengrab (@ashokgehlot51)
The Congress late Thursday night released its first list of 152 candidates for the December 7 Rajasthan Assembly elections, fielding former chief minister Ashok Gehlot from Sardarpura and state party president Sachin Pilot from Tonk seat.
Former National Commission for Women chief Girija Vyas will contest from Udaipur, while senior party leader C P Joshi will be party nominee from the Nathdwara assembly seat.
The Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Rameshwar Lal Dudi, is the Congress’s candidate from the Nokha assembly seat.
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AICC Secretary Harish Chaudhary will contest the polls from the Baytoo seat.
Former BJP MP Harish Meena, who had switched over to the Congress on Wednesday, has been fielded from Deoli Uniara.
The notification for the polls was issued on Monday.
Setting aside rumours about rift in the Congress party, the two chief ministerial aspirants of Congress in Rajasthan, Pilot and Gehlot, had announced on Wednesday they would both contest the December 7 Rajasthan Assembly elections. They however avoided answering questions as to who would be the CM face.
“I and Gehlot will both contest the Assembly polls and Congress will come to power in the state,” Pilot had told the media at the party headquarters in New Delhi.
“On Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s instruction and on Gehlotji’s request, I have decided to contest the assembly elections,” he added.
He also said there was a lot of infighting within the Bharatiya Janata Party over ticket distribution and disgruntled leaders had been queuing up to join the Congress.
When Gehlot was asked a question regarding the CM face of Congress, he said: “Since Independence, it has been the tradition of Congress party not to name the CM face in states. We are proudly carrying forward that legacy.”
While Pilot, a former MP, will be contesting the assembly polls for the first time, Gehlot has twice been the chief minister of the state.
(With agency inputs)
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