Rajasthan bypolls: BJP names Karilal Nanoma for Chorasi Assembly seat

Jaipur: The BJP on Thursday declared Karilal Nanoma as its candidate for the bypolls to the Chorasi Assembly constituency in Rajasthan, thus ending the suspense on the seventh seat.

With this, the party has declared candidates on all seven Assembly seats going to bypolls on November 13.

By nominating Nanoma, the party has expressed confidence in a new face.

Currently, he is the Pradhan of Simalwara Panchayat Samiti. He has also been the District General Secretary of BJP ST Morcha and has been working in tribal areas for a long time.

Nanoma will face Mahesh Roat of Congress and Anil Katara of Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) on the seat.

The BJP had earlier declared candidates for six seats. After the announcement on Nanoma, both BJP and Congress have declared candidates on all seven seats. The last date for filing a nomination is October 25.

Post Lok Sabha polls, speculations were rife that Congress might go for alliance with the INDIA bloc here. However, late Tuesday night, Congress fielded its candidate Roat from Chorasi after BAP announced Anil Katara as its official candidate.

It is going to be a triangular contest here with candidates of Congress, BJP and BAP in the fray.

The Chorasi seat fell vacant after its MLA Rajkumar Roat contested for the Lok Sabha polls and emerged the winner as an MP.

Earlier there was speculation that veteran leader Sushil Katara might be fielded from here, however, the party has shown trust in a new face and gave a chance to Karilal Nanoma.

He is a grassroots worker connected with locals.

Nanoma became sarpanch for the first time in 1995 and has been sarpanch for four times in succession. His daughter-in-law is also a sarpanch.

In the 2023 Assembly polls, BAP candidate Rajkumar Roat got over 1,11 lakh votes while BJP candidate Sushil Katara got around 47,000 votes in the constituency. In 2018, Katara was defeated by Roat whereas in 2013, Katara emerged as the winner.