“People in mood to repeat govt”: CM Ashok Gehlot files nomination for Rajasthan polls

Sardarpura (Rajasthan) [India]: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday filed his nomination from the Sardarpura Assembly constituency in Rajasthan which is going to polls on November 25.

The last date for filing nominations is November 6.

Speaking to reporters about the Rajasthan Assembly polls, CM Gehlot said, “People of the state are in the mood to repeat the government in Rajasthan…”

He also said that the desert state which was earlier known as a backward state has undergone a change since he became the CM.

“Earlier Rajasthan was known as a backward state but now it has changed. Today, Rajasthan has AIIMS, IITs, IIMs and other universities. When I became the CM for the first time, there were only 6 universities and now there are over 100 colleges…,” CM Gehlot added.

The Congress released its seventh list of 21 candidates, fielding state minister Shanti Dhariwal from the Kota North seat. In its Sunday list, the party denied a ticket to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s loyalist and Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Dharmendra Rathore.

The Congress fielded Mahendra Singh Ralawata from the Ajmer North constituency.

Notably, Dhariwal and Rathore were among the three senior state leaders against whom the party’s disciplinary committee had issued notices after they did not attend a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party in the state and held a parallel meeting of MLAs instead last year, during the party presidential elections.

The leaders had led the rebels, who refused to accept Sachin Pilot as the Chief Minister when the party wanted Gehlot to stand for the party president’s post.

Rajasthan is among five states that will go to the polls next month.

Rajasthan will go to the polls on November 25, the counting of which will take place on December 5, along with four other state assembly elections.