The Congress has announced the candidature of 20 out of its 25 sitting MLAs in the first list of 152 nominees, announced on Thursday night, besides fielding senior state leaders and those who crossed over to it from other parties.

After several rounds of marathon meetings, the Congress, which seeks to defeat the BJP in the December 7 Assembly election in Rajasthan, announced the names of its candidates in 152 out of 200 seats.

The party has fielded state unit president Sachin Pilot from Tonk, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot from Sardarpura, former Union minister C.P. Joshi from Nathdwara, Girija Vyas from Udaipur and leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Rameshwar Dudi from the Nokha seat.

Suspense continues on the Deeg-Kumher and Rajkhera seats where Vishvendra Singh and Pradhyumn Singh are the sitting Congress MLAs.

The ruling BJP has released two lists of 162 candidates for the election.

Both parties have fielded 19 women candidates released so far. While the BJP has not fielded any Muslim candidate, the Congress has given tickets to nine Muslim candidates in its first list.

Family members of over a dozen senior Congress leaders in the state have been given tickets.

Contrary to Congress president Rahul Gandhi's claims about not fielding 'parachute' candidates, the party has given tickets to four people who joined the party recently.

Former BJP MP Harish Meena, who had switched over to the Congress on Wednesday, has been fielded from Deoli Uniara, Habib Ur Rehman from Nagaur, Sona Devi Bavari from Raisinghnagar and Khanhaiya Lal Jhawar from the Bikaner East seat.

Former IPS officer Sawai Singh Godara has been fielded from Khinvsar.

According to Congress leaders, the party has firmed up an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). The SP is likely to contest in three seats and the RLD in two.