Resignations and protests after list

Congress workers ransacked a party office in Kota, blocked railway traffic in Bikaner and burnt party’s effigy in Bharatpur amid a spate of resignations following the announcement of assembly poll candidates for 152 seats.

Supporters of leader Shivkant Nandwana, who was seeking ticket from Kota (South), turned violent on Friday after the party fielded Rakhi Gautam. They ransacked the office of the party office in Kota, damaging furniture, air cooler and party board, and burnt tyres to block road.

Supporters of Pankaj Mehta, another leader seeking ticket from Kota (South), raised slogans against Gautam, who is a corporator and will contest assembly polls for the first time. They said Mehta will contest as an Independent if the party did not rethink its decision. Mehta fought as a Congress candidate in 2013 but was replaced by Nandwana in the by-election in 2014.

In Bikaner, supporters of former state president BD Kalla sat on the tracks near Kotegate railway crossing to protest denial of ticket to the veteran leader from the Bikaner (West). Kalla lost out the ticket race because of losing the constituency twice in a row. The party has given ticket to DCC president Yashpal Gehlot.

Gopal Gehlot, who contested on a party ticket in 2013, announced that he will contest as an Independent from both Bikaner (East) and Bikaner (West). Party has fielded Kanhaiya Lal Jhanwar from Bikaner (East).

The Congress dropped more than 70 candidates from 2013.

In Nadbai, workers burnt an effigy of the party and alleged that ‘parachute’ candidates had been chosen over real workers.

There were protests in Jaipur by supporters of Vikram Singh Shekhawat, who lost from Vidhyadhar Nagar twice in a row and became ineligible for consideration this time. Manju Sharma, who was seeking ticket from the same seat, also staged protest because the party gave ticket to Sitaram Agarwal.

Supporters of Laxman Meena seeking ticket from Bassi and Nawal Kishore Meena from Bamanwas staged protest.

In Jaipur, former mayor Jyoti Khandelwal sent her resignation to AICC president Rahul Gandhi stating that despite fulfilling all the criteria, she was not considered for a ticket. In Sirohi, after senior leader Sanyam Lodha was dropped from the list, his supporters staged protest.

JAIPUR/ KOTA/ BIKANER/ BHARATPUR: