Rajasthan BJP ‘infighting’: Senior leaders spar ahead of Droupadi Murmu’s event

In a major embarrassment for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), two senior leaders in Rajasthan confronted had a face-off in front of a Union minister over the entry of supporters at a venue where NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu met BJP lawmakers on Wednesday

In a major embarrassment for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), two senior leaders in Rajasthan confronted had a face-off in front of a Union minister over the entry of supporters at a venue where NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu met BJP lawmakers on Wednesday.

For representational purposes only. (PTI File Photo)

Though the incident took place before Murmu’s arrival, the video went viral on social media. The BJP swung into damage control mode, while the Congress was quick to corner the opposition over ‘infighting’.

After the meeting with the lawmakers, the party had made arrangements to accord Murmu with a welcome by tribal people from the state in a separate hall with limited seating capacity.

A party leader familiar with the development said when Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Meena reached the venue at 9:30 am, office bearers of the ST cell from Barmer and Dungarpur, among others, told him that he won’t be allowed to enter, leading to the altercation.

In the widely-circulated video, Meena was seen having a heated argument with deputy leader of opposition in Rajasthan assembly Rajendra Rathore in the room.

Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat tried to intervene and asked both of them to diffuse their anger before instructing party workers to not raise slogans during the programme.

Meena later clarified on social media that there are no differences between him and Rathore.

“It was natural for an emotional person like me to get angry if the tribal workers, who came to Jaipur from Dungarpur-Banswara and other remote areas to congratulate the NDA presidential candidate, are not allowed entry. I put the resentment of my tribal brothers and sisters in front of Rajendra Rathore. No matter how hard one tries, there are no differences between me and my brother Rajendra Rathore, there is no question of any difference of opinion,” he tweeted.

Rathore replied to the tweet and said that Meena is like a brother. “He is my friend for the last 30 years and is like a brother. As a brother, he spoke with authority and affection,” he said.

Taking a jibe at the BJP, state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra tweeted, “Infighting in the BJP is increasing and the party leaders have nothing to do with the people.”