Rajasthan polls: Cong releases 3rd list of candidates, fields expelled BJP MLA

The Congress on Thursday released its third list of 19 candidates for the Rajasthan assembly elections, which includes the name of expelled BJP MLA Shobharani Kushwaha, who joined the grand old party on Wednesday after quitting the saffron camp.

The 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will go to the polls on 25 November, with votes to be counted on 3 December.

The third list also includes the names of BSP-turned-Congress MLAs Wajib Ali and Lakhan Singh Meena. 

Kushwaha, who was expelled by the BJP in June 2022 for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections, will contest from Dholpur, a seat she had won in 2018 on a BJP ticket. She joined the Congress on Wednesday in the presence party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi.

While Wajib Ali has been fielded from Nagar, Lakhan Singh Meena will contest for the Karauli assembly seat. The party has also fielded independent MLA Ramkesh Meena from Gangapur. 

The Congress has also given a ticket to sitting MLA and the late maharani Gayatri Devi's brother-in-law Rajendra Trivedi (Sahara), but has replaced MLA Rakesh Boyat (Keshoraipatan, SC seat) with CL Premi Bairwa. 

The party has fielded a new candidate, Motiram Koli. from the Reodar SC seat. 

The Congress had earlier released two lists for the Rajasthan polls, naming 33 and 43 candidates, respectively.