Jaipur: Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) Chief Hanuman Beniwal's wife, Kanika Beniwal, filed her nomination for the assembly bypoll from Khinvsar as 57 candidates filed 77 nomination papers on Friday. In a fresh challenge for the Congress party, party rebel Naresh Meena also filed his nomination as an independent candidate from Deoli-Uniara on Friday. In all, 94 candidates filed 118 nominations by the last day of filing nominations.
Among others, Congress's Deen Dayal Bairwa filed a nomination from Dausa, Reshma Meena filed from Salumber, KC Meena from Deoli-Uniara and Mahesh Roat filed his nomination from Chorasi (ST). BJP candidates Shanta Devi filed her nomination from Salumber, Karilal Nanoma from Chorasi, and Revant Ram Danga filed his nomination from Khinvsar. Bharat Adivasi Party's (BAP) Jitesh Kumar Meena filed his nomination from Salumber, and Anil Kumar Katara from Chorasi. Meanwhile, former Minister and Udaipurwati MLA Rajendra Singh Gudha, who created ripples with his ‘red diary' allegations against the Gehlot govt, filed a nomination from the Jhunjhunu seat.
On the other hand, former Congress MP Raghuveer Meena's nephew, Mukesh Meena, withdrew his decision to contest from Salumber as an independent candidate. Cong rebel Naresh Meena, who filed his nomination from Deoli-Uniara, attached a photo on ‘X', which had mugshots of BAP leader Rajkumar Roat, RLP Chief Hanuman Beniwal, Sheo MLA Ravindra Bhati, and Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) President Chandrashekhar Azad. Claiming to have the support of all these politicians, he wrote, "Five Pandavas. Joint coalition candidate" and attached a photo.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, State Cong President Govind Singh Dotasra, and Leader of Opposition (LOP) Tikraram Jully attended a public meeting in support of Congress's Dausa candidate DD Meena. Dotasra, who danced at the rally, slammed Cabinet Minister Kirori Lal Meena and questioned him on the statements he made about cancelling the SI recruitment and eliminating corruption. "Was he waiting for a ticket for his brother? Where are the talks of cancelling the SI recruitment and eradicating corruption now? Why was the agricultural sector ruined for three months?" he asked.
Gehlot accused Kirori Meena of being a master at spreading rumours and turning non-issues into issues.