Lok Sabha Polls 2014: 320 candidates in LS poll fray in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: Altogether 320 candidates, including 27 women, are left in the fray for the two-phased Lok Sabha polls in Rajasthan, scheduled to go on April 17 and April 24 for 20 and 5 constituencies respectively.

Out of 17 women contestants, Congress has fielded six women, including three sitting MPs, and BJP just one candidate in the poll battle, according to a final statistics of Chief Election Office today.

In the last Lok Sabha (2009) polls there were 346 contestants with 31 women for the 25 Lok Sabha seats, which declined this year to 320.

Nasrudeen of Socialist Party is the oldest candidate at 82 years on Alwar seat, while Farooq is the youngest candidate of BSP on Jaipur seat at the age of 25 years.

BJP's Sukhbir Singh Jaunpuria on Tonk-Sawaimadhopur seat was the richest candidate with Rs 71.41 crore of total assets, while Congress' Jyoti Mirdha on Nagaur seat with a total assets of Rs 58.26 crore.

As per the initial trend there would be a direct contest between candidates of Congress and BJP on 15 seats; Jaipur, Ajmer, Banswara, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Chittorgarh, Jhalawar, Jodhpur, Pali, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Kota, Karauli-Dholpur, Alwar and Bharatpur.

While a triangular contest can be seen on Barmer, Dasua, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Ganganangar, Tonk-Sawaimadhopur, Jalore, Nagaur, Sikar and Jaipur-rural in which the Congress and the BJP candidate would be facing tough time either with rebel, BSP, Rajasthan Loktantrik Party (a joint front of five national parties), Nationl Unionist Zamindara Party, AAP, or Independents.

About 4.26 crore electorate, including 2.01 crore women, would exercise their franchise on 47,948 polling booths in the State in the two phases of polls.