Vasundhara in control, it146;s testing time for MLAs

It8217;s time for reviewing performances of MLAs and this time around they are expected to give details of all the promises made during the last Assembly elections and steps taken to meet them.

It8217;s time for reviewing performances of MLAs and this time around they are expected to give details of all the promises made during the last Assembly elections and steps taken to meet them. It was almost five months ago that Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had announced that all MLAs will have to submit a progress report, based on which report cards would be prepared by the BJP.

Though the review meetings of the past two months went almost unnoticed, this time around Raje is back with a bang. Finally coming out of the shadows of the Gurjjar agitation, Raje shot a letter to the Cabinet ministers asking them to apprise her of the steps taken to meet the promises made in the party manifesto during the last elections, the status of the various projects undertaken by them and details of the new announcements made during this year8217;s budget. Following poor performance at public hearings conducted by the ministers, the party leadership has also sent them a letter each asking for an explanation.

The review meetings and the hearings were initiated by the party almost simultaneously. The purpose of the public hearings, conducted by Cabinet ministers, was to listen to the problems faced by the party workers in the state. However, months after it was launched, the workers claimed that very few of their grievances were addressed. The party leadership also demanded an explanation from the Cabinet ministers and the issue will be taken up during the next executive meeting. The ministers have been asked to reply soon.

Though Raje had initiated the review meetings and public hearings keeping in mind the next Assembly elections to be held in December 2008, sources within the party claimed that the CM, who is expected to reshuffle her Cabinet in the near future, might also consider the ministers8217; replies while doing so. Sources confirmed that she is taking the review meetings quite seriously as the whole exercise has been initiated with the aim of holding the MLAs accountable for their performance and keep a track on the development projects announced or undertaken in their respective constituencies.