Over 3.48 crore people, including 1.65 crore women, are eligible to vote in the election for which 27,664 polling stations have been set up. 5,942 of them have been designated "critical", a state electoral office spokesman said today.
Voting will be held from 7 AM to 6 PM with webcasting at most places, the spokesman said, adding Rajasthan would witness a highest ever deployment of security personnel in this election.
BJP and Congress parties have fielded twenty candidates each, AAP 19, BSP 18, CPM and CPI three each and NCP one. The candidates also include 88 Independents.
Among the candidates are 10 sitting MPs of Congress and three of BJP.
More From This Section
Congress and BJP are in a direct fight on 12 seats which include Jaipur, Ajmer, Banswara, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Jhalawar, Chittorgarh, Jodhpur, Pali, Rajsamand, Udaipur and Kota.
A triangular contest could be witnessed in Barmer, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Ganganangar, Jalore, Nagaur, Sikar, with Congress and BJP candidates facing challenge from rebels candidates, BSP, Rajasthan Loktantrik Party (a joint front of five national parties), AAP or Independents.
Jaswant's son Manvendra was also suspended from the state BJP and removed from the national executive for anti-party activities.
Congress nominee C P Joshi is pitted against the Olympic medal winner Rajyvardhan Singh Rathore from Jaipur-rural seat. Joshi is a sitting MP from Bhilwara.
PCC president and Union Minister Sachin Pilot, who is contesting from Ajmer, would be facing a tough battle against BJP Minister Sanwarlal Jat. BJP had won all the seats under this parliamentary constituency in the Assembly polls in December last.