Congress plays safe,sitting MLAs,ministers in first Rajasthan list

Despite its government fighting a tough anti-incumbency battle,the Congress will be repeating several of its sitting legislators in the Rajasthan Assembly elections slated for December 1. The partys first list of candidates,released late Saturday night by the Central Election Committee,has 63 names,including that of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and several of his cabinet ministers.

Putting rest to rumours that it was unlikely to field several prominent legislators,the list features ministers Brijendra Singh Ola,Shanti Kumar Dhariwal,Durru Miyan,Brijkishore Sharma. Sharma,who was recently heckled in his own constituency,Hawamahal,will be contesting from the same seat. Zahida Khan,who has been embroiled in the Gopalgarh firing case and is being interrogated by the CBI,is being repeated from Kaman too. Col Sonaram Chowdhary,who had stood up against the CM on the Barmer refinery issue,will again contest from Baytoo.

Commonwealth gold medalist discus thrower Krishna Poonia managed to get a ticket from native place Sadulpur in Churu. B D Kalla will be contesting from Bikaner West,Rajendra Pareek from Sikar,Deependra Singh from Shri Madhopur,Parsadi Lal Meena from Lalsot,Saleh Mohammed from Pokaran,Mewaram Jain from Barmer,Ratan Desai Dewasi from Raniwara and Kailash Chand Meena from Manohar Thana.

The suspense over several decisive constituencies,however,continues. PCC chief Dr Chandrabhan does not find a spot in the list.

With Gehlot and rival C P Joshi at loggerheads,the first list was delayed by five days. The Congress seems to have played safe by fielding sitting legislators and postponing the decision on several controversial seats.