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Rajasthan BJP’s core group underlines efforts to bridge differences
A senior BJP leader said that attempts have been made to include almost all the major communities in the core group.
Rajasthan BJP’s core group comprising 12 members and four special invitees has been formed, putting an end to speculations over former chief minister and national vice-president Vasundhara Raje’s political future in the state. BJP national general secretary and state in-charge Arun Singh notified the core group on Thursday night.
Surprisingly, no Meena leader has been included in the group from east Rajasthan, where BJP performed poorly in the local body elections held in December 2020. Also, no former state president has been included in the group.
Other prominent leaders in the group include state BJP president Satish Poonia, leader of Opposition Gulabchand Kataria, Rajya Sabha MP Om Prakash Mathur, state general secretary Chandra Shekhar, deputy leader of the Opposition Rajendra Rathore, Union ministers Gajendra Singh, Arjun Meghwal, Kailash Chaudhary, state vice-president and Rajya Sabha MP Rajendra Gehlot, Lok Sabha MP CP Joshi and Kanakamal Katara.
The four special invites are BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Bhupendra Yadav, national vice-president Bharti Ben Shial and national secretary Alka Singh Gurjar.
A senior BJP leader said that attempts have been made to include almost all the major communities in the core group. “The core group includes three Rajput leaders, two Jats, one Vaishya, one Brahmin, one Gurjar, one Yadav, and one each from Mali, dalit and adivasi communities,” he said.
Kirodi Lal Meena and Jaskaur Meena from eastern Rajasthan, where the BJP performed poorly in the local body elections, have been excluded from the core group. Instead, tribal leader Kanakmal Katara has been given a place, the BJP leader added.
“Former MLA from Bandikui and now national secretary Alka Singh has been made a special invitee. East Rajasthan is still a weak link and yet the party has surprised us by not giving any Meena leader a place. Jaskaur Meena and Kirodi Lal Meena were the contenders from eastern Rajasthan but political differences have arisen between the two,” said another BJP leader, who didn’t wish to be named.
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By giving place to opposing camps in the core group, an exercise has been made to maintain a political balance. The group is also mandated to meet every month to prevent any communication gap and serious differences, the leader quoted above added.
Senior journalist and political analyst Tribhuvan said all the leaders who are potential chief minister candidates have been given a place in the core group.
“The national leadership has tried to stop the infighting between the senior leaders which threatened to damage the party in the future. Results of the last three elections indicate there is a high chance that the BJP will form the government after the 2023 state assembly elections that’s why the national leadership is leaving no stone unturned to bring every faction together,” he said.
