Rajasthan Assembly Polls 2018 LIVE: Former BJP leader Hanuman Beniwal floats new party

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Live updates of the assembly election campaign in Rajasthan where Congress is hoping to oust Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government

Former BJP leader Hanuman Beniwal floats new party

Former BJP leader Hanuman Beniwal launched Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) on Monday and claimed that the outfit in alliance with other “like-minded” parties will emerge as an alternative to the BJP and the Congress in Rajasthan.

Bharat Vahini Party (BVP) president and former BJP leader Ghanshyam Tiwari extended support to the RLP at a rally to announce the formation of the new party where national vice president of Rashtriya Lokdal (RLD) Jayant Chaudhary and member of national executive of Samajwadi Party Sanjay Lathar were also present, according to a PTI report.

Beniwal and Tiwari had been at loggerheads with Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje over a number of issues, including agriculture distress. Beniwal was elected on BJP ticket in 2008 from Khinvsar and later as an independent candidate in 2013. He has had held rallies in Barmer, Sikar, Bikaner and Nagaur in past few months.

AAP declares manifesto for Rajasthan Assembly Polls

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) declared their manifesto for the upcoming assembly polls in Rajasthan on October 29 at a rally in Jaipur.

The manifesto, titled “Badli Hai Dilli, Ab Badlengey Rajasthan”, was announced in the presence of AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who held his first rally in Rajasthan today.
Kejriwal announced that his party will be contesting for all the 200 assembly constituencies.

Gopal Sharma, AAP Media in-charge, also announced that the Kejriwal will hold more rallies in the poll-bound state in the days to come.

Vasundhara Raje to contest from home-turf Jhalrapatan

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Sunday announced that she will contest the upcoming election from the Jhalrapatan constituency in Jhalawar district.

“I have a 30-year-old connection with the people of Jhalawar. The people here have showered love and affection. I have done whatever I could do for Jhalawar and Baran districts,” she said.

Raje has been elected thrice from the Jhalrapatan seat — in 2003, 2008 and 2013.

She said although her focus would be to win all the 200 Assembly seats, special attention would be on 100 seats, PTI has reported.

Raje exuded confidence that the BJP would form a majority government in the state once again.

Key dates

Date of issue of gazette notification: November 12
Last date of nominations: November 19
Date for scrutiny of nominations: November 20
Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: November 22
Polling date: December 7

Rajasthan voting, counting dates

The state will head for polls, in a single phase, on December 7 to elect a new legislative assembly.

Counting of votes will happen on December 11 along with Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Telangana.

Welcome to the LIVE blog for the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly Elections. This blog will track the poll campaign in the state.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is seeking to retain power. Reports and opinion polls suggest there exists very high anti-incumbency sentiment against the Raje government.

The state has swung between BJP and the Indian National Congress in the last two decades.

Congress, led by former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and former union minister Sachin Pilot is aiming to wrest power from the BJP in the state. Congress is banking on the anti-incumbency factor and caste equations in the elections.