Rising star of Rajasthan BJP, may play bigger role in state

Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, May 18

“A non-controversial team person” is how people familiar with 69-year-old Arjun Ram Meghwal, the rising star of the BJP in Rajasthan, describe the new Law Minister as.

Meghwal’s elevation from the Minister of State (Parliamentary Affairs, Culture) rank to Minister of Law and Justice (independent charge) on Thursday triggered massive speculation on whether he was being groomed for a larger role in the future. Although Meghwal, a tall Scheduled Caste leader and three-time MP from Bikaner, denied any links between his elevation and the Rajasthan elections, state circles were abuzz with talks of what Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest move might mean. Everyone agreed on one thing — the race for the Rajasthan chief ministership in the event of the BJP’s poll victory later this year just got tighter. Meghwal’s induction in the significant law portfolio sends a signal of solidarity with the Scheduled Castes, who were upset with the BJP in the 2018 state elections over a Supreme Court order diluting arrest provisions under the Prevention of Atrocities against SCs and STs Act. This even though Parliament had in August 2018 passed a bill to overturn the SC judgment.

Out of 34 SC segments in Rajasthan, the BJP could win only 12 in the 2018 poll — down from 32 it had won in 2013. The BJP lost more than half the reserved seats (34 SC/25 ST) it had bagged in 2013.

“We had won 50 reserved seats in Rajasthan — 32 ST and 18 ST in 2013. This dropped to 31 (12 SC and nine ST) in 2018. The party failed to win a single SC/ST seat in Alwar, Bharatpur, Dausa, Dholpur, Karauli, Swai, Madhopur and Tonk,” a BJP source said today, noting the significance of Meghwal’s elevation. The overall SC population in Rajasthan is 18 per cent with the segment key to electoral fortunes of any party.

The Congress rode the wave of SC/ST support in 2018 to romp home to victory in Rajasthan. As against 2013, when the Congress failed to win even one SC seat and bagged only four tribal reserved seats, the party wrested 19 SC segments and 12 ST seats in the last elections.

Former Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia said Meghwal’s appointment as Law Minister was a “very positive sign”. “Meghwal is a dominant voice of the underprivileged,” Poonia said.

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