Rajasthan: Dissatisfaction over candidature of independent MLA on party ticket, Cong workers protest in Mahwa

Mahwa (Rajasthan) [India], October 24 : A group of Congress workers staged a protest against the candidature of independent MLA Om Prakash Hudla on the party seat at Mahwa assembly constituency.
The party workers on Monday burnt the effigy of Hudla and raised slogans against the leadership's decision to deny a ticket to any Congress worker giving it instead to the sitting MLA.
The protestors demanded that the central leadership intervene in the matter immediately cancel the ticket given to the independent MLA and consider any Congress worker for the seat.
Further, the protestors said that a meeting of all ticket seekers in the party will be held on October 26th if the ticket of the independent MLA is not cancelled and a strategy and future plan will be made on working for the elections against the same.
Hudla's candidature was declared by Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on October 20 at Priyanka Gandhi's meeting held in Dausa. A few party workers had expressed dissatisfaction with the nomination of Hudla as party candidate soon after the meeting.
Later, Congress announced its second list of candidates and Hudla's name was included as the candidate from Mahwa.
Congress on Sunday, October 22, 2023, released its second list of 43 candidates for the Rajasthan Assembly elections, naming state ministers Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, and Govind Ram Meghwal.
The ruling party has fielded Govind Ram Meghwal from Khajuwala, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas from Civil Lines and Parsadi Lal Meena from Lolsot.
Besides, Congress has fielded former Chief Secretary of Rajasthan Niranjan Arya from the Sojat constituency. He is considered a close associate of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
In the 2018 assembly elections, the Congress won 99 seats while the BJP won 73 seats in the 200-member house. Ashok Gehlot came to power with the support of BSP MLAs and independents.
Earlier on Saturday, October 21, 2023, the party released its first list of 33 candidates for Rajasthan Assembly elections, naming Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, state party chief Govind Singh Dotasra and Speaker CP Joshi.
The party chose to re-nominate sitting MLAs in 29 seats while four others were chosen to fight constituencies where the BJP has sitting MLAs. The Congress' first list came soon after BJP released its second list of 88 candidates, taking its total to 124 out of 200 candidates.
The Congress Screening Committe for Rajasthan is likely to meet in Delhi on October 26 to discuss the names of remaining candidates for the Assembly Polls. Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and state PCC Chief Govind Dotasara will be attending the meeting.
The polls for the 200-member assembly will be held on November 25 .
The counting of votes will take place on December 3. Of the five states, polling in Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases.