After the the BJP announced candidates for six of seven the seats in Rajasthan where Assembly bypolls are scheduled to be held next month, some aspirants who were hoping to get a ticket have raised the banner of revolt. In Jhunjhunu, BJP’s 2023 losing candidate Bablu Chaudhary alias Nisheet Kumar has rebelled and announced that he will file his nomination papers on October 23 and contest as an independent. When hundreds of his supporters gathered at his residence on Sunday, he said that he will do as they say and that he is ready to do anything but will not let them down. “If Lotus has to bloom in Jhunjhunu, it will only be through Bablu Chaudhary, else forget it,” he declared. As his supporters backed him, he announced his candidature. Bablu’s rebellion follows the pattern of the previous two elections. In 2018, the BJP had fielded Rajendra Singh Bhamboo and Bablu had rebelled and stood third, behind Congress’s Brijendra Singh Ola and Bhamboo. In 2023, BJP dropped Bhamboo and fielded Bablu; Bhamboo rebelled and contested as an independent but stood third, behind Ola and Bablu. Now as the BJP has dropped Bablu and fielded Bhamboo, Bablu has rebelled yet again. In Ramgarh, BJP’s 2023 candidate Jai Ahuja too has rebelled. Calling a meeting of his supporters at his residence over the weekend, Ahuja listed his “achievements” before them. Like Jhunjhunu, the BJP has fielded the 2023 rebel in Ramgarh, Sukhvant Singh. In 2023, Sukhvant had contested as Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) candidate and stood second behind Congress’s Zubair Khan, while Ahuja stood third. On Sunday, Ahuja said, “BJP has fielded Sukhvant Singh who contested for ASP. A lot of propaganda was spread during his (2023) election and plenty of lies were spoken. Objectionable language was used against party leaders, and party’s flags were burnt. Such people who betrayed the party have now been rewarded by the party, this is not apt.” With several local party leaders resigning in Ahuja’s support, he has called a mahapanchayat on Tuesday to take a final call on his candidature. In Deoli Uniara, supporters of Vijay Bainsla climbed a water tank on Sunday demanding ticket for Bainsla. In 2023, Bainsla lost to Harish Meena of Congress. Leaders of the Gujjar community, which comes under the Most Backward Classes (MBC), have also written to the BJP state president Madan Rathore appealing him to give the party ticket to Bainsla. They say that despite losing the election, Bainsla has been working hard for the region and that denying him a ticket would be “suicidal” for the party. They have also threatened that if Bainsla is not given a ticket, the MBCs would oppose the BJP in every district and block. In Salumber, videos of a crying Narendra Meena surrounded by his consoling supporters went viral. Meena was hoping for a ticket after the demise of sitting BJP MLA Amrit Lal Meena but the party fielded Amrit’s wife Shanta Devi Meena, hoping to ride the sympathy wave. Amid tears, Narendra was heard saying that he had been working for the party for 20 years. Narendra was flown to meet Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Monday. After the meeting, he said that he had “communicated the emotions of the people to the CM.” He said that the CM spoke to him and that he will share those things before his constituents. Although he did not clarify on whether he will pull out from the race, he is now expected to make his position clear on Tuesday and back Shanta Devi.
