Assembly Elections 2018: Princesses, queens take up fight in Rajasthan polls

Kalpana Devi, the newest entrant to the princess' club in the political arena of Rajasthan, filed her nomination from Ladpura constituency as a BJP candidate on Monday. But she is not the only blue-blooded contestant who has thrown her hat in the poll ring.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who is the queen of Dholpur, is contesting her fourth straight elections from the Jhalrapatan constituency in Jhalawar. CM Raje's cabinet colleague and tourism minister Krishnendra Kaur Deepa is contesting the polls from Nadhbai constituency in Bharatpur district. She shares a royal lineage with cousin Vishvendra Singh, the erstwhile Bharatpur king and sitting Congress legislator from Deeg-Kumher constituency, in the same district. Siddhi Kumari, princess of Bikaner, is also contesting for the third straight time from Bikaner city seat.

However, some of their peers have to sit this elections out as the political parties have given other candidates a chance in their place.

Jaipur princess Diya Kumari who represents Sawai Madhopur seat and Karauli queen Rohini Kumari were denied a ticket this time.              

Earlier, Raje came to Kota and in a public meeting and welcomed Kalpana Devi's spouse and former Congress MP Ijeyraj Singh to the party fold. She said Singh was like a brother to her son Dushyant Singh. Raje said, "I used to be in pain when I would see them on the other side of the political spectrum… I am happy now that Ijyeraj and Kalpana are not only sharing the same stage, but the same party flag." She called upon the workers to help then win this election.

Speaking to media persons after filing her nomination on Monday as a BJP candidate, the 49-year-old former queen of Kota Kalpana Devi said she was confident of winning the polls.