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Vasundhara Raje’s plan to visit Udaipur and Ajmer divisions creates buzz in BJP
People close to Vasundhara Raje said she was planning a “personal” tour, however, analysts said it was meant to increase her visibility and influence as the assembly elections in Rajasthan were little over two years away
Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje is planning to tour a few districts in Rajasthan, and this has created a buzz in the political circles including in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), people aware of the developments said.
A senior leader on condition of anonymity said that Raje was planning to visit Udaipur and Ajmer divisions to meet families of recently deceased leaders and lawmakers such as former parliamentarian Rasa Singh Rawat; Begun legislature and former minister Chunni Lal Dhakad; former Jahazpur MLA Shivjiram Meena; former MP Hemendra Singh; former ministers Jeetmal Khant and Kiran Maheshwari and Dhariawad MLA Gautam Lal Meena. They all died recently.
The leader quoted above said the tour had to be postponed as Raje’s daughter-in-law was unwell. The BJP stalwart will visit Ajmer, Bhilwara, Rajsamand, Banswara and Udaipur districts during her visit, he said. “Raje may come to Jaipur before the start of the assembly session on September 9. Her tour is likely to begin after the session,” he said.
She may also visit Tripura Sundari and Charbhuja Nath temples during her 2-3 day long tour, he added.
Talk of Raje’s tour after the controversy over the absence of her picture from the Jan Aashirwad Yatra posters has created a buzz in the state BJP, particularly among senior leaders, who see it as an attempt by Raje to increase her visibility and following keeping the 2023 assembly elections in mind.
“On Saturday she went to Aligarh and met relatives of late governor Kalyan Singh, and visited the Mahadev temple there. She has started [her] tour with this and will continue the same in Rajasthan after the assembly session. The former CM is planning these visits to maintain her relevance,” said a senior party MLA, who didn’t wish to be named.
He said while the people close to her call it a “personal” tour, it is meant to increase her activities as the elections are now little over two years away. “A similar attempt was made by her in March with a two-day yatra in Bharatpur region, a show of strength on her birthday. The yatra was attended by a large number of MLAs, MPs, ex-MLAs and MPs. The issue was also raised before the Central leadership,” he said.
Political analyst Manish Godha said such tours were like warm up exercises before the polls which will also boost workers’ morale while keeping her politically relevant.
