JAIPUR: BJP released their second list of candidates for the Rajasthan elections and interestingly, former chief minister and popular leader Vasundhara Raje found a place in the list. On the first list released by the party on Monday, Vasundhara’s name was missing which triggered many jibes from the opposition and even saw internal quibbles within the BJP. However now, all tensions have been allayed as the former CM will contest from the Jhalrapatan seat. Not just that, many of the loyalists within the Raje faction were included in the second list of candidates.

Satish Punia will contest from Amber and Rajendra Rathod will contest from Taranagar after switching from Churu constituency. Jyoti Mirdha, who joined the BJP from the Congress, will seek a mandate from Nagaur. Pratap Singh Singhvi, Ashok Dogra, Narpat Singh Rajvi, Srichand Kriplani, Kalicharan Saraf, Kailash Verma, Siddhi Kumari, Hem Singh Bhadana, Anita Bhadel and Kanhaiya Lal are among the prominent leaders included in the list.

After BJP published the first list of candidates on Monday, CM Ashok Gehlot ridiculed the omission of Raje and asked BJP to show some ‘mercy’. Meanwhile, BJP leadership was alerted by the sudden surge of revolt after Raje’s name was missing from the first list. The party was prescient about the humiliation it would suffer if a leader of Raje’s stature was left out of the candidate's list. This led to a course correction and the BJP now has reignited the fight in Rajasthan. However, it is not clear whether Raje will be the made CM candidate if BJP wins the elections.

Congress announced a 33-member candidate list for the Rajasthan assembly elections. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot have made it to the list. Gehlot will contest from Sardarpura while Pilot will seek a mandate from Tonk.