BJP talks Raje,wont walk yet

BJP took up the Vasundhara Raje issue,but failed to come to a final decision,leaving the matter to be discussed again in the party's parliamentary board meeting on Oct 22.

The BJP on Thursday took up the Vasundhara Raje issue,but failed to come to a final decision,leaving the matter to be discussed again in the BJP parliamentary board meeting slated for October 22,called to discuss the results of the recent Assembly elections in three states.

Though the former Rajasthan CM was asked by the party to resign two months ago,she stayed put as BJP Legislature Party chief in the state. The decision on Rajes resignation,first taken by a truncated BJP core group,was endorsed by its parliamentary board two months ago. While the move was said to be part of a larger exercise to remove office-bearers in states where the party had fared poorly in the elections,Raje had reportedly asked why no central leader was held accountable for the partys defeat in the general elections.

On Thursday,an hour into the BJP Central Election Committee meeting,called to finalise names for various bypolls,Vijay Goel and Shahnawaz Hussain left the room. The leaders who were left,all members of the Parliamentary Board,discussed the Raje issue for over two-and-a-half hours,but were forced to defer a final decision due to lack of consensus,it is learnt. While party chief Rajnath Singh is said to be adamant on her resignation,others like L K Advani and Arun Jaitley were not so open to the idea.

While no one briefed the Press after the meeting,party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad also refused to be quoted on the status of Rajes resignation. Incidentally,after the earlier parliamentary board meeting which endorsed Rajes resignation,Rajnath had himself addressed the Press.

Those sympathetic to Raje contend that with the incumbent party chief8217;s term coming to an end by year-end,the issue may have been put in abeyance for now. However,Rajnaths supporters are equally emphatic that the parliamentary board meets earlier decision stands,and that Raje would have to go,as anything else would mean challenging the authority of the party chief.

With M Venkaiah Naidu,mandated to resolve the Rajasthan stalemate,being abroad,senior party leader Sushma Swaraj has been asked to talk to Raje.

Poll outcome for two seats in Rajasthan in early November could be crucial for the final decision.