Dissidence in Rajasthan & Gujarat worries BJP

Discontent in ruling BJP in Gujarat & Rajasthan against Chief Ministers of the two states sparks fears in the party that its disgruntled leaders may vote for Pratibha Patil.

Discontent in ruling BJP in Gujarat and Rajasthan against Chief Ministers of the two states, has sparked fears in the party that its disgruntled leaders may vote for UPA-Left nominee Pratibha Patil who is expected to be pitted against Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the Presidential election.

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Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, party sources say, is facing bitter opposition from a section of BJP in the state.

Added to it is her strained ties with the party's Gurjar MLAs two of whom have been suspended for their role in the recent violent agitation by the community members demanding Scheduled Tribe status for them.

There are fears that the Gurjar MLAs and anti-Raje leaders in the state assembly may cross vote in order to embarrass the Chief Minister and press for leadership change, a senior BJP leader, who requested not to be named, said.

"There is a problem within the party as far as keeping all our votes intact in favour of Shekhawat is concerned," he said.

There is no way to pinpoint who indulged in cross-voting in Presidential elections held through secret ballot, he pointed out.

A measure of BJP's anxiety over dissidence in Rajasthan could be had from the fact that Raje on Sunday met party chief Rajnath Singh here and the two leaders were understood to have discussed its possible effect on Presidential election.

In Gujarat too, Chief Minister Narendra Modi is facing dissidence, especially from supporters of state party leader and his known critic Keshubhai Patel.