In Rajasthan balancing act, BJP names 7-term MLA Rajendra Rathore as LoP, Poonia his deputy

Striking a balance between experience and caste, BJP has sought to ensure representation to three major castes — Brahmins, Rajputs and Jats — to its top leadership positions in the state ahead of Assembly polls

Rajasthan BJP In-charge Arun Singh, State BJP President CP Joshi, newly-appointed LoP Rajendra Rathore, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, and senior leader Satish Poonia during the BJP MLAs meeting at the party office, in Jaipur, April 2, 2023. (PTI)

Listen to this article

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Rajasthan unit Sunday declared seven-term MLA Rajendra Rathore as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and ex-state party president Satish Poonia as the Deputy LoP in the Assembly.

The announcement was made following a meeting of the BJP Legislature Party in the afternoon, which was preceded by the party’s state-level meeting earlier in the day. A BJP core committee meeting was also held in the evening.

In February, the Narendra Modi-led central government appointed the then Rajasthan LoP Gulab Chand Kataria as the Assam Governor, which led to his resignation from his position in the Assembly.

Story continues below this ad

Given his background and long experience, Rathore, who had been the Deputy LoP until now, seemed to be the strongest candidate for the post. As a seven-term MLA and former minister, he brings immense experience to the LoP’s position.

In the House, Rathore is known to corner the government with well-researched, point-by-point data besides his significant knowledge of rules, laws, court rulings, etc.

Earlier, when Kataria as LoP made impassioned speeches on a subject, Rathore complemented them with his data and his frequent quips. He commands such authority in this regard that at times the ruling party is not able to detect his “cherry-picking” of data and facts until later.

In December, Rathore had filed a PIL on the Congress MLAs’ resignations, arguing that the people of Rajasthan “are in a state of confusion whether presently they are governed by a government which is validly placed or not”. He also argued that, “The strength (of the Assembly) has come down to 109 since 91 MLAs have resigned. So what is the status of this government?”

Story continues below this ad

Subsequently, all the MLAs appeared before the Assembly Speaker, C P Joshi, in person and withdrew their resignations. The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government and the Speaker, too, had to make certain disclosures in the court, much to the ruling camp’s embarrassment.

This was not the only time Rathore, a Rajput leader, had put the government on the back foot. In March, he personally investigated Gurukul University in Sikar, after its Bill was tabled in February. Rathore found that the university existed merely on paper and that the touted “state-of-the-art campus” was nowhere to be found.

Meanwhile, despite being a first-time MLA Satish Poonia needed to be adjusted somewhere in the BJP power structure following his removal as the state party chief recently. He was the first person from the Jat community to occupy that post and a section of Jats had protested his removal. So, the party named him the Deputy LoP, an honorary post which is not even officially recognised by the Rajasthan Assembly. Also, not many sittings of the House are left before the state goes to polls due in December.

The BJP leadership had replaced Poonia with party MP Chandra Prakash Joshi, a Brahmin leader, as the state party president. Subsequently, by picking Rathore as the LoP, and Poonia as his deputy the party has thus sought to ensure representation to three major castes — Brahmins, Rajputs and Jats — to its top leadership positions in the state ahead of the high-stakes polls.