Jaipur, Oct. 11 -- The BJP has intensified candidate selection for Rajasthan's Panchayati Raj elections, with a three-day consultation beginning at its state headquarters in Jaipur on Saturday to finalise nominees for the first two phases. The exercise comes amid pressure to reconcile competing ticket claims and announce candidates before the nomination deadlines. People aware of the matter said the consultations would initially focus on first-phase seats before moving to constituencies in the second phase. A senior BJP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "We are working to release the first-phase candidate list by Sunday evening so that candidates have sufficient time to campaign before polling." The BJP has established a selection process involving district in-charges, Zila Parishad in-charges, Panchayat Samiti in-charges and district core committees. Panels prepared on the basis of their recommendations will now be examined by the state leadership, with discussions aimed at building consensus among local leaders. BJP state general secretary Shravan Bagdi said, "The district core committees have prepared panels of potential candidates, which will be discussed at state level. After taking everyone's views and reaching a consensus on one name, the party will announce its official candidate." The first phase covers elections to Zila Parishad seats and 104 Panchayat Samitis across 16 districts, with October 13 as the last date for nominations. The short window makes timely selection crucial, delays could reduce campaigning time and leave the organisation with less opportunity to persuade unsuccessful aspirants to support the nominees. After completing first-phase discussions, the leadership will consider candidates for the second phase, covering Zila Parishad seats and 127 Panchayat Samitis across 22 districts. The nomination deadline for this phase is October 16. District-level panels will form the basis of deliberations for both phases, with final approval resting with party leadership. According to people aware of the matter, aspirants for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti seats have been seeking support from local leaders as the panels reach the state headquarters. The consultations will therefore test the leadership's ability to balance local recommendations, organisational interests and competing claims. The BJP has also revised its approach to candidate panels following its experience in the civic elections. Party insiders said single-name panels had been submitted from several places, including by some MLAs for the Jaipur Municipal Corporation polls. For the Panchayati Raj elections, each panel must contain at least three potential candidates, with additional names permitted where necessary. Single-name panels will not be accepted, according to party insiders. Candidates' organisational involvement, local standing and constituency conditions will be considered before nominations are finalised. Alongside candidate selection, the BJP is expected to release its rural election manifesto soon, party insiders said. Chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma is also conducting virtual outreach through 90 campaign vehicles deployed in rural areas. The outreach highlights the Developed Village-Urban Ward Campaign, Gram Chaupal, Atal Gyan Kendra, Atal Path, Kisan Samman Nidhi, social security pensions and the rural component of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The BJP's campaign seeks to connect its organisational mobilisation with the government's welfare and development programmes. Congress, meanwhile, is strengthening its field organisation for the Panchayati Raj elections after difficulties in converting its civic poll performance into control of several local bodies. Concerns over cross-voting and internal divisions have prompted the party to examine its municipal election performance. Under its new action plan, Congress has deployed 498 leaders - 41 district observers and coordinators for all 457 Panchayat Samitis - to oversee election management and household outreach across the state's 14,403 Panchayats. They will work alongside the party's 20 star campaigners. The arrangement seeks to give senior leaders defined responsibilities in the field and establish closer coordination between the state leadership and local units. PCC president Govind Singh Dotasara has issued guidelines for the observers and coordinators. Congress has released the list of election coordinators for all 457 Panchayat Samitis. The appointments are intended to strengthen local organisation and election management ahead of polling. Under instructions issued by Congress general secretary Lalit Toonwal, district Political Affairs Committees will select candidates. These committees will include district in-charges and co-in-charges, MPs and parliamentary candidates, MLAs and assembly candidates, and former MPs and MLAs. Senior district leaders, including district presidents of the party's frontal organisations and its tribal, OBC, Scheduled Caste, minority and Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sangathan units, will participate as special invitees. The structure gives a broad range of leaders a role in selection, potentially helping the party build acceptance for its nominees. Its effectiveness, however, will depend on whether the committees can settle competing claims without allowing factional disagreements to disrupt the campaign. State Congress in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has also formed a committee including former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, Dotasara and leader of the opposition Tikaram Jully....