Rajasthan bypolls: BJP and Congress finalise candidates

 The BJP today announced the names of Jaswant Singh Yadav, a minister in the Rajasthan government, and Ramswarup Lamba as its candidates for bypolls to the Lok Sabha seats of Alwar and Ajmer in the state.

Yadav will contest from Alwar and Lamba, son of former Union minister Sanwar Lal Jat, from Ajmer, the party said in a statement. The bypolls will be held on January 29, following the death of two BJP parliamentarians -- Sanwar Lal Jat from Ajmer and Mahant Chandnath from Alwar seat -- last year. Meanwhile, Shakti Singh Hada and Manju Basu will be the party's candidates for the assembly bypolls in Mandalgarh and Noapara constituencies in Rajasthan and West Bengal respectively, the statement added. 

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today okayed the name of Raghu Sharma, a former MLA from Rajasthan, as the party's candidate for the Ajmer Lok Sabha by-election, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said. Sharma has served as chief whip of the party in the Rajasthan Assembly. Vivek Dhakar will be the party's candidate for the by- poll to the Mandalgarh assembly seat in the state. Pradesh Congress Committee chief and former Union minister Sachin Pilot had unsuccessfully contested from the Ajmer constituency in the 2014 general elections.

Besides, a by-election will be held in the Alwar parliamentary seat on January 29. The Congress has already nominated Karan Singh Yadav, a former MP, as its candidate for it.