How BJP’s new Rajasthan in-charge has struck the wrong notes: From comments on CM to Vasundhara Raje

Already sulking because Rathore was overlooked for the Rajya Sabha in favour of Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu — considered an “outsider” since he is from Punjab — Rathore’s supporters and Rajput outfits immediately launched a campaign attacking Agrawal and raising slogans such as, “Rathore nahi toh BJP nahi (No BJP without Rathore),” demanding an apology from Agrawal.

Shri Rajput Karni Sena chief Mahipal Makrana said the BJP in-charge should apologise and be removed from his post. Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena leaders too echoed similar sentiments and said their workers would protest wherever Agrawal goes.

On X, Rathore termed the comments by his supporters and the outfits as “inappropriate” and said that they were creating “storm in a teacup” while stating that he has been a loyal party worker for 35 years. Agrawal seized the opportunity for some damage control and responded, “Honorable Rajendra ji you are the backbone of the organization and are the senior-most BJP leader and a dedicated party worker … you sit in the hearts of BJP workers.”

At the same address on August 20, on former CM Vasundhara Raje missing the programme, Agrawal said that she had already spoken to him and the state party chief about her inability to join the programme. With longevity often being a delicate issue for politicians, Agrawal was anything but subtle: “When she came to Delhi day before yesterday, toh main khud dekh raha tha badi ajeeb si kamzor si lag rahi thin (I saw for myself that she seemed unusual and weak).” However, he then heaped praises on Raje.

In another viral video clip from this address, he is heard saying “Manniye Bhajan Lal Sharma ka naak mat katwaiyega, inko Shurpanakha na banaiyega (Don’t humiliate Bhajan Lal Sharma like Shurpnakha who had her nose cut).”

Though it is not clear if this comment was made in the context of the coming bypolls or the membership drive, some in the party asked if Sharma would be humiliated if things didn’t go as per plan, like in the Lok Sabha polls. “Of the six Assembly seats, five were already held by INDI Alliance so it’s anyway an uphill task. If we don’t win most of these seats, would it mean that the CM has been humiliated? Because the in-charge has said so,” a party worker said. However, Agrawal also declared that the party would fight the next election under the CM’s leadership.

He said that only 16 of 24 ministers, 10 of 14 MPs, 64 of 115 MLAs and 38 of 44 district presidents were present in the meeting. “I would request the state president to ask all of them why they are not interested in this great work of the organization and why they are not present in the meeting. It is not acceptable at all. Who can be busier than the CM,” he asked. It’s another story that BJP has 114 MLAs – not 115 as Agrawal said – since the passing of Salumber MLA Amrit Lal Meena on August 8.

On another occasion, he said that Sachin Pilot’s era had ended as he is a “spent force” and as for Ashok Gehlot, only his “political kapal kriya (last rites)” is remaining. This led to Congress supporters burning Agrawals’s effigies in several districts. When Youth Congress workers gheraoed his car in Udaipur and hurled ink on it, Agrawal said that Pilot will be accountable if there is any danger to his life.

Pilot responded by saying his opposition was always ideological and he had not crossed the limits or patience while dealing with his staunchest opponents, indicating that Agrawal should be more mindful of his words.

More recently, hoping to influence the lone Bharat Adivasi Party’s (BAP) MP Rajkumar Roat, Agrawal said he “will gradually realise that whatever work he wants to do will not happen by sitting in the lap of Congress but can be done by PM Modi.” But soon after, BJP state chief Madan Rathore said that the party will not go into an alliance with any party for the bypoll, clarifying Agrawal’s comment that Agrawal never invited anyone for an alliance.

State Congress president Govind Dotasra has likened Agrawal to Lord Hanuman with his tail on fire. “Like Hanuman ji with his tail on fire, the BJP prabhari has come with his tail on fire and will leave after burning the party like Lanka,” he said. With Agrawal’s words constantly putting the BJP in a post, Dotasra said the party should invite him to address every region, division, district and block.

A professional doctor, Agrawal was born in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, and has his roots in the RSS. He made his Assembly election debut in 2002 from the Gorakhpur Urban seat as a Hindu Mahasabha candidate, defeating the BJP’s Shiv Pratap Shukla. Agrawal, who is popularly known as RMD, subsequently joined the BJP and went on to retain the seat in 2007, 2012, and 2017.

Ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls, he vacated the seat for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and was subsequently elevated to the Upper House and also made the party’s national general secretary.