Uncertainty over Rajasthan BJP president’s name continues
The outcome of the slugfest will be crucial for Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal) The outcome of the slugfest will be crucial for Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
A week after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ashok Parnami resigned from the party’s state president’s post, the uncertainty over his successor continues. The delay has also once again brought to spotlight the uncomfortable relationship shared by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje with party’s central leadership, with her loyalists camping in Delhi to push for a ‘favourable’ candidate.
Party sources said that the central leadership had finalised the name of Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Union Minister of State for Agriculture, to head the state unit. The first time MP, who has been associated with the Sangh since long, would begin with a clean slate if given the position.
However, Shekhawat is seen as being closer to party’s central leadership than the Raje-led state leadership. While, the Raje camp wants someone from amongst themselves to be made the state chief, the position assumes more significance ahead of the Vidhan Sabha polls later this year and Lok Sabha polls next year.
While the central leadership wanted to highlight Shekhawat’s RSS leanings and being a long time party worker as his credentials, Raje loyalists have been opposing Shekhawat stating that the move will further alienate the party for Jats, since Shekhawat is a Rajput; the two communities have been traditionally opposed to each other in the state.
The move was also being seen as central leadership’s attempt to assuage Rajputs, considered BJP’s traditional supporters, who have opposed the party for over a year now over a host of issues. The anger spilled onto the bypolls to Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha and Mandalgarh Vidhan Sabha, with BJP losing out in all 17 assembly seats.
However, what has instead come into play is Raje camp’s assertion before the central leadership in the guise of Rajput – Jat caste rivalry. Hence, it is instead pushing for other names, such as that of Raje loyalist and cabinet minister for Urban Development and Housing, Srichand Kriplani. Kriplani hails from the Sindhi Punjabi community, same as outgoing president Parnami; Kriplani has, however, reportedly ruled himself out of the race.
Several Rajasthan minister and MLAs, including Yunus Khan, Prabhu Lal Saini, Rampratap, Ajay Kilak, etc. have been camping in Delhi to convince the central leadership to push a candidate of their choice, while claiming they are in Delhi owing to personal commitments.
Another name doing the round is that of Union Minister of State, Arjun Ram Meghwal, who hails from the Dalit community. Interestingly, his son Ravi Shekhar, a Rajasthan Administrative Services (RAS) officer, purportedly commented on BJP chief Amit Shah’s Facebook page advising against Shekhawat’s appointment as it does not suit “caste combination” and that Congress is set to win 140 seats in the state. Shekhar has denied the claims, saying that someone mischievously posted the comments from his phone which is often left unattended at office in his home, with the social media application logged in.
While Meghwal’s appointment may influence state’s large Dalit base, the Raje camp is also not keen with his name. Other names include former minister Lakshmi Narayan Dave, and incumbent Rajya Sabha MPs Bhupender Yadav and Narayan Lal Panchariya.
The outcome of the slugfest will be crucial for Raje. While earlier she had the backing of leaders such as L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, she has to weather it alone this time. The central leadership also hopes to have a cohesive state unit to keep alive its hopes of a return to the state.
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