According to the Supreme Court, political parties must share the list of candidates with pending criminal cases, including the nature of the offences, relevant particulars such as whether charges have been framed, the court concerned, and the case number. Parties should also give reasons for such a selection and why other individuals without criminal antecedents could not be shortlisted.
In its list for Rajasthan, the Congress has named 18 candidates with criminal cases, including current chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who faces four cases. The party said Gehlot was a three-term chief minister of Rajasthan and during his stints, he had carried out immense developmental work which endeared him to the people of the state.
“The candidate has a proven track record as an able administrator even during pandemic times. Most of the cases against the candidate are politically motivated. The candidate has transformed the lives of millions of poor and disadvantaged sections of the population through various social welfare programs which he implemented as the chief minister. The candidate is a successful people’s representative for five terms now which is why the Congress Party chose to field him again from this constituency,” the party said.
Minister of Medical and Health and Minister of Excise, Rajasthan, Parsadi Lal Meena, is also in the list. Contesting from Lalsot, Meena was selected as he “has served the constituency for six terms”. He has been in the Cabinet as well and served the people of not only his constituency but also the entire state.
“The candidate in his long political stint has done some remarkable work for the people of Lalsot. He is one of the most respected politicians across all political factions and parties. The candidate being the current health minister of state has initiated many beneficiary schemes for downtrodden people across the state,” the Congress said.
The party also said the case against the candidate was “politically motivated” and filed by his detractors.
“The investigating officer in the case has already filed a closure report in it. The candidate has also challenged the FIR in Hon’ble High court. Due to a proven track record of the candidate as an able administrator, the Congress party chose him over any other candidate to contest from this seat,” the party explained.
Congress’s Rohit Bohra, who was among the three MLAs who were part of the Sachin Pilot camp in the July 2020 rebellion but took a U-turn, is facing a case, including charges of attempt to murder (IPC 307).
Calling him a dynamic, young and well-educated person whose consistent work for common people has earned him a big following among local people of the area, Congress said he “always tries to spread love and affection among different sections of people to ensure communal harmony and peace in the area and has been fighting against those who wish to damage social fabric in the area”.
Pushpendra Bhardwaj, MLA Candidate from Sanganer, is convicted in one of the two cases he is facing without any punishment. While fielding him, the party said the candidate is a highly educated person and has been active in public life since his student days.
“The candidate was a popular students’ leader and has been dedicatedly working to help students especially from underprivileged and disadvantaged sections of the society. The candidate has also been involved in social service for the people of his locality,” the Congress said, adding that it is because he is a young and dynamic political activist who works energetically for the social welfare of the people that the Congress party decided to field him from the constituency.
Another sitting MLA, Ramlal Meena, also had a case which was “disposed of with small fine and now there remains no obstacle as to why the party cannot field the candidate,” the party said.
Divya Maderna, a sitting MLA from Osian constituency, is also in the list and the case against her is of family dispute.
“The candidate is highly educated and deeply connected with the people of Osian. The candidate is a young dynamic leader who possesses strong leadership qualities and has done a lot of social welfare work for the people of Osian,” the party added.
The other candidates facing cases are Ashok Chandna (Hindoli constituency), Bhajan Lal Jatav (Weir), Ganesh Ghogara (Dungarpur), Harish Choudhary (Baytoo), Jagdish Chandra Jangid (Sadulshahar), Khushveer Singh (Marwar Junction), Lalit Kumar Yadav (Mundawar), Mukesh Kumar Bhakar (Ladnun), Naseem Akhtar Insaf (Pushkar), Ramila Khadia (Kushalgarh), Ramniwas Gawariya (Parbatsar), and Zuber Khan (Ramgarh).
The polls for the 200-member assembly are scheduled for November 25, with the vote count set for December 3. So far, the Congress has announced 151 candidates out of a total of 200 assembly seats at stake in Rajasthan. The nomination of candidates will end on November 6.
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