Rajasthan: What is happening in BJP and Congress

Tribune Web Desk

Vibha Sharma

Chandigarh, May 10  

As Karnataka today voted to elect its next government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Rajasthan—the state due for Assembly election in India along with Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh this year.

Modi offered prayers at the Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara, visited the Shantivan complex of Brahma Kumaris and laid the foundation stone of various infrastructure projects.

He was received at the Udaipur airport by Congress Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who on Tuesday again became the focus of a very public outburst from bête noire Sachin Pilot, perhaps the fourth time since 2018.

On Tuesday, Pilot re-sharpened attack against Gehlot for alleged inaction over corruption and announced a five-day “Jan Sangharsh Yatra” to raise people’s issues. The former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan also claimed that Gehlot’s leader was not Sonia Gandhi but BJP leader Vasundhara Raje.

The statement came a day after Gehlot claimed he survived the 2020 revolt by some Congress MLAs because BJP leaders like Raje and Kailash Meghwal refused to support a conspiracy to topple an elected government through money power.

The buzz also is that Raje “blocked” Pilot’s entry into the BJP. 

While the veracity of this assumption is debatable, Raje has given it back to Pilot over his allegations of collusion with Gehlot.

Parties to decide strategy after May 13

Observers say not just Congress but leaders in the BJP are also involved in a fierce turf war in the state.

Currently, the Congress is in power in Rajasthan—a state known for binary politics with BJP and Congress changing hands almost every five years. Rajasthan’s power corridors continue to be abuzz with “understanding” between Gehlot and Raje to maintain the five-year balance. 

The mix of royalty and caste combinations add to the complexities of politics of the desert state. 

It is one of the reasons why Raje continues to be a power to reckon with despite attempts by the state leaders to dislodge her.

Observers say the BJP may eventually contest the upcoming polls in Rajasthan in PM Modi’s name to avoid any conflict but the results of the Karnataka polls will decide the party’s strategy for the upcoming election.

If the Congress does well, better than what the BJP would like it to, the saffron party may be forced to opt for Raje, a mass leader and crowd puller. 

BJP’s Rajasthan dilemma

The state BJP is divided into factions like Raje and former state president Satish Poonia, who is said to be backed by the RSS. 

It is due to their infighting that the BJP has not been able to launch any substantial ante against the Gehlot government, the observers say.

While Raje is a popular royal face, Poonia too belongs to the powerful Jat community with influence in many of the 200 Assembly seats in the state. 

He was anointed the state chief after the BJP lost the 2018 elections under Raje.

In order to balance the political equations, the saffron party recently named Lok Sabha MP CP Joshi as its new president in the state. The appointment of a Brahmin is said to be aimed at wooing his community—a crucial vote base—and also to ensure a balance between the other two majors, Jats and Rajputs.

The tussle for power within the state BJP is well known and sources claim that PM Modi and and Amit Shah actually prefer Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, a Rajput. However, it may not be easy to sideline Poonia or Raje.

Meanwhile, there seem to be others in the race like Gulab Chand Kataria.  

Congress and BJP leaders claim there is no place for a third front or a third political party in Rajasthan. It remains to be seen whether AAP manages to change that this time.

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