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Journalism of Courage
Even as jostling is on among BJP leaders over the vacant post of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Rajasthan, after Gulab Chand Kataria’s appointment as Assam Governor, his long-term rival Vasundhara Raje has made her first move.
In another reminder to the party that she can’t be ignored in any political manoeuvres in the state, Raje has announced a massive show of strength on March 4 at Salasar Dham in Churu district. Ostensibly, it is a celebration to mark Raje turning 70; her birthday is on March 8, but Holi falls on that day this time, and hence the advance meeting.
The Raje faction believes that if she is appointed the LoP, it will significantly boost her chances of becoming chief minister if the BJP wins next year’s Assembly elections. The two-time CM has in recent times been sidelined from day-to-day workings of the party by the Satish Poonia-led state leadership.
While Salasar Dham is one of the biggest pilgrimage sites in Rajasthan, Churu is the home district of Poonia, a Raje rival and fellow contender for CM’s post. Poonia’s three-year tenure as BJP chief expired last year, but he is continuing as the party is yet to appoint a new president.
Significantly, Poonia had said last year that it was his personal opinion that politicians should retire at 70.
According to BJP sources, there are several contenders for the LoP post apart from Raje, including Deputy LoP Rajendra Rathore, Poonia himself as well as former education minister Vasudev Devnani, who is seen as close to the RSS.
“Vasundharaji was a tall leader, is a tall leader and will remain a tall leader. She is also very religious. Due to the demand of the public, the birthday celebrations will be held at Salasar Dham on March 4. The programme will be massive and we are expecting a crowd of one lakh people. There is excitement among all party workers,” BJP MLA and Raje loyalist Kalicharan Saraf recently told reporters.
Sources close to Raje said party leaders, including present and former legislators, have been pressed in to mobilise crowds for the Salasar event.
Asked about the meeting, BJP MLA and Poonia aide Ramlal Sharma said: “There is no controversy over Vasundharaji’s programme. The party knows about it.” He also denied allegations of infighting in the party, though, incidentally, the same day as Raje’s show, the BJP has planned a protest in Jaipur against question paper leaks in the state.
Raje previously held the LoP post in 2008-2009, after her first tenure as CM between 2003 and 2008 ended. However, several factions had opposed her and demanded her resignation after the BJP performed poorly in Rajasthan in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections that followed.
State BJP president Om Mathur, another Raje rival, had then quit citing the Lok Sabha loss and, in a barely-veiled jibe, said other leaders should also take responsibility. Finally, Raje had resigned as LoP in October 2009.
She had followed it up though with a massive display of strength in Jaipur, where her supporters such as former MLA Rohitash Kumar Sharma took on the then BJP high command. In 2021, Poonia expelled Sharma from the BJP.
That the BJP can’t ignore Raje’s clout is clear from the fact that both in 2003 and 2013, when she was made president before the elections and projected as the party’s face, the party had won.
