Rajasthan: Congress expels two candidates who failed to withdraw nomination after alliance with BAP

Jaipur, April 8 (IANS) In a dramatic turn of events, the Congress on Monday expelled its Banswara Lok Sabha candidate Arvind Damor and Bagidora Assembly bypoll nominee Kapur Singh from the party for six years after they refused to withdraw their candidatures following the announcement of a tie-up with the Bharatiya Adivasi Party (BAP) for these two seats. 

However, some political experts feel that despite his expulsion from the party, Damor will remain the Congress candidate from Banswara because the party allotted him the election symbol before his removal.

A few days back, both Congress and BAP candidates filed their nomination forms from Banswara. On Sunday, the Congress announced an alliance with BAP, but its candidate from Banswara, Damor, remained ‘untraceable’ on Monday. Even his mobile phone was switched off.

The Congress had decided to field Arjun Bamnia as its candidate from Banswara on the last day of the nomination filing process.

However, Damor had already filed his nomination as a dummy candidate. But after Bamania did not file his nomination, the Congress allotted its election symbol to Damor. Discussions were going on about an alliance between the Congress and BAP. Though the alliance was formally announced on Sunday, Damor did not withdraw his nomination on Monday, going against the party's stand.

Political experts feel that the Congress might not campaign in Banswara now, though its candidate will remain in the fray.

The constituency is likely to witness a triangular contest between BJP's Mahendrajit Singh Malviya, BAP's Rajkumar Rot, and Damor.

The party also expelled Kapur Singh, the Congress candidate for the Assembly bypoll in Bagidora scheduled on April 26, after he too did not withdraw his nomination and remained untraceable on Monday with his phone switched off.

But in this case too, the party has already allotted its election symbol to Singh.

Meanwhile, BAP accused the BJP candidate from Banswara, Mahendrajit Singh Malviya, of putting pressure on the Congress nominees and not allowing them to withdraw their nominations.

Activist Jitendra Meena, an assistant professor at Delhi University, said on X: "@INCIndia should now campaign in favour of Bharat Adivasi Party @BAPSpeak candidates in the Dungarpur Banswara Lok Sabha and Bagidora Assembly by-elections, and action should be taken against those who tried to break this alliance.”