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Rajasthan elections: BJP begins outreach amid brewing dissent
On Thursday, Raje met Rajasthan election incharge Pralhad Joshi, state in-charge Arun Singh and other leaders at the BJP office here.
After declaration of candidates for the assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party has been facing protests on seats like Chittorgrah, Sanganer and Sanchore, and the party leadership is behind the scenes to quell the dissent, people aware of the matter said.
After declaring 124 candidates in two lists, the BJP is facing protests on around two dozen seats. The most vehement has been on Chittorgrah, Sanganer and Sanchore while on others the dissent has been muted.
A party leader said dissent is natural when there are many contenders for a ticket. “Some leaders are trying to put pressure on the party. The party is assessing the situation. Efforts are on to reach out to dissidents. Party leaders are talking to those who are upset on being denied tickets,” he said.
Another party leader not wishing to be named said given the continuing protests on the Chittorgarh, Sanganer and Sanchore seats, the BJP central election committee which will meet in the next couple of days will discuss and review the situation on the seats.
On Wednesday, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje met Anita Singh in Bharatpur. Singh, who is considered close to Raje, was denied the party ticket from the Nagar assembly constituency after which she has been threatening to contest as an independent. Raje’s meeting is being seen as an attempt by the party to reach out and pacify Singh.
Raje also met Vijay Bansal, a former BJP MLA who was suspended from the party. Bansal is also considered close to Raje and there is speculation that he could return to the party fold.
On Thursday, Raje met Rajasthan election incharge Pralhad Joshi, state in-charge Arun Singh and other leaders at the BJP office here. However, Arun Singh and Joshi said that the party would not change any tickets.
Joshi told reporters, “In all elections, wherever the sentiment is in favour of the BJP, it is natural for party workers who have put in hard work to seek a ticket. But only one person gets the ticket and it is natural that others are disappointed. But we are all one family and will work together for the party.”
He added that the final decision regarding tickets would be taken by the party’s parliamentary board and the central election committee.
Chittorgarh from where sitting MLA Chandrabhan Singh Aakya’s ticket was cut has seen large-scale protests by his supporters. Aakya has so far been playing safe and not speaking out against the party.
“I am not going to join the Congress party. I have not yet decided if I will contest as an independent. But I have faith in the party. Some solution will be found,” he told HT.
But Aakya has been holding meetings with his supporters in a show of strength and a bid to put pressure on the party.
Aakya’s seat has been given to Narpat Singh Rajvi, the sitting MLA from Vidyadhar Nagar in Jaipur who was also upset after being dropped in favour of Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari.
In Jaipur, supporters of Ashok Lahoty, the sitting MLA from Sanganer, protested at the BJP office, holding placards and shouting slogans against BJP state general secretary Bhajan Lal who has been given the Sanganer ticket. The protestors said Bhajan Lal is an outsider and demanded that his ticket be withdrawn.
Lahoty said, “I am not rebelling against the party. But the Vaish community has come forward to support me. They will talk to the BJP leaders to review the decision,” he said.
In Sanchore, MP Devji Patel is facing opposition from his colleagues Jivaram Choudhary and Danaram Choudhary. Supporters of the two leaders have been holding protests and meetings, demanding a reassessment of the ticket.
Jivaram and Danaram Choudhary have announced that they would contest as independents if the party did not reconsider its decision regarding the ticket by October 31.
