At the time of elections in Rajasthan, BJP is divided into factions and confused about leadership

The time for the assembly elections in Rajasthan is getting closer. But the Bharatiya Janata Party seems to be stuck in a dilemma regarding the issue of leadership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is continuously visiting Rajasthan to connect the common voters of Rajasthan with BJP. Meanwhile, Gulab Chand Kataria, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and senior most leader of Rajasthan BJP, has been sent away from the active politics of the state after being made the Governor of Assam. The assembly session is currently going on in Rajasthan. By removing the leader of the opposition during the session itself, the BJP high command has told that the party is completely serious about Rajasthan. The central leadership has started the process of reorganizing the BJP in the state. Because of this, Kataria has been sent to Assam as governor.

No one has been nominated for the post of leader of the opposition, which fell vacant after Kataria became the governor. However, many senior MLAs including State President Satish Poonia, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Kalicharan Saraf, Narpat Singh Rajvi, Jogeshwar Garg, Anita Bhadel are involved in the race to become Leader of Opposition. But the final decision has to be taken by the BJP high command. The one whose name will be decided by the high command will become the leader of the opposition. However, only the MLA of the BJP high command’s choice will be selected for the post of Leader of the Opposition. But this does not mean that now the BJP high command who will make the leader of the opposition will lead the party in the next assembly elections.

BJP National President JP Nadda and Organization General Secretary BL Santosh during their visit to Rajasthan have consistently said that the party will contest elections in Rajasthan in the name and face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All the leaders of the party will collectively unite and contest the elections and form the BJP government in the state. The new leader will be decided by the legislators after the election. This talk of the BJP high command is troubling Vasundhara Raje and her supporters. They feel that the way Gulab Chand Kataria was thrown out of active politics before the N elections, in the same way they too can be powerless in the party. Due to this concern, Vasundhara Raje’s supporter camp is repeatedly demanding to contest elections under her leadership by declaring her as the leader. However, the BJP high command is fully aware of the intentions of Vasundhara Raje and her supporters. That is why the party is shying away from contesting elections under the leadership of any one leader.

In the assembly elections of Rajasthan too, there is talk of cutting the tickets of a large number of sitting MLAs on the lines of Gujarat. Due to this, many senior leaders active in politics for a long time are worried about their political future. To preserve their political legacy, many BJP leaders, who have come on the radar of the high command, have started working on a plan to contest elections by taking tickets from other parties as well. National Democratic Party of Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal, National Organization General Secretary of Aam Aadmi Party Sandeep Pathak is openly saying that we will welcome influential leaders of other parties to the party.

A few days ago Devendra Katara, BJP MLA from Dungarpur, has also joined Aam Aadmi Party. Although the BJP had cut the ticket of Devendra Katara due to poor performance in the 2018 elections. Then Katara contested as an independent and got only 8633 votes. In such a situation, his special mass base is not left. But the Aam Aadmi Party is engaged in strengthening its organization with such leaders.

At present, there are many factions in Rajasthan BJP. State President Satish Poonia is a leader of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh background and has been associated with BJP since the beginning. Due to his elite image, he is considered to be a decent image in the state. However, being the state president, the entire organization belongs to him. But at present his faction is considered very strong in the politics of the state. Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has been continuously marginalized in the party after being defeated in the last assembly elections. Vasundhara Raje is again trying to take charge of the party by coming into the mainstream. But the high command does not seem to be in a mood to pay attention to them. Union Jal Shakti Minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is considered the choice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. That is why he has been promoted rapidly in the politics of Rajasthan. He is also being presented as an alternative to Vasundhara Raje. But his image is being adversely affected by his name appearing in the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam.

Recently, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has made the biggest attack on Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat so far. Making serious allegations against Shekhawat, he said that his family members were involved in the Sanjivani scam. Gajendra Singh’s father, his mother, his wife and his brother-in-law are included in it. Gehlot said that the person against whom there are terrible allegations. The Prime Minister has made such a man a minister. Let the Prime Minister examine them.

Gehlot said that 80 percent of the victims in the Sanjeevani scam are Rajputs. He said that I have spoken to Bhagwan Singh Rollsabsar. He is the mentor of Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. I said Bhagwan Singh ji explain to him that he should return the money. Don’t know how much money has been kept abroad? Ethiopia, Australia and don’t know in how many countries Gajendra Singh’s money is invested. The Union Minister should make this thing clear. Why is he not getting ED to investigate. Gehlot said that the CBI is in the pocket of Gajendra Singh and these people. In the scam of Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society, Gehlot targeted Gajendra Singh and said – You yourself are a Union Minister. If you are innocent then why don’t you come forward to get back the money of the poor?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Manpur Dham on Abu Road 4 months ago during his visit to Rajasthan. After that visited Mangarh Dham of Banswara, Malaseri Dham of Bhilwara. Then came to inaugurate the express highway in Dausa. All these areas are tribal, Gurjar, Meena dominated areas. The BJP was weak here in the last assembly elections. To compensate for the same, the Prime Minister himself is touring. However, there is disappointment among the people due to the Prime Minister not making any announcement for the development of these religious places.

At present, the leaders of BJP in the state are showing each other small in order to establish their supremacy. BJP may have to suffer losses in the coming assembly elections due to such antics at the time of elections. But unaware of all this, BJP leaders are busy pulling each other’s legs. Which cannot be considered a good thing for any cadre base party.

Ramesh Sarraf Dhamora

(The author is a freelance journalist accredited by the Government of Rajasthan. His articles continue to be published in many newspapers of the country.)