New Delhi: Days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sent a show-cause notice to its member of Parliament (MP), Ramesh Bidhuri, for making “anti-Muslim” comments and using “unparliamentary language” against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Danish Ali in Lok Sabha, the ruling party at the Centre has entrusted him with a new responsibility, that of election-in-charge of Tonk district in Rajasthan, sources in BJP told ThePrint.
On Wednesday, Bidhuri posted an image of a coordination meeting he held for Tonk on the social media platform X (previously Twitter). Rajasthan is slated to vote for the assembly later this year.
“Taking information about the organisational activities of the party and the upcoming programmes ahead of the elections and programmes under Sewa Saptah in the coordination meeting of district Tonk in Rajasthan state BJP office, Jaipur along with BJP state president C.P. Joshi,” Bidhuri wrote, sharing the image.
Sources in the BJP had earlier told ThePrint that Bidhuri was served a show-cause notice last week by the party for “use of unparliamentary language”. He also had a meeting with BJP national president J.P. Nadda on 25 September, although what transpired in the meeting is not yet known.
The comments against Ali, which were later expunged from the Parliament records came during a debate last Thursday on India’s Chandrayaan III mission, which successfully landed on the moon last month.
The BJP MP’s remarks had triggered a political row, with opposition parties — including the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) — hitting out at the ruling party over Bidhuri’s remarks.
Talking about Bidhuri’s appointment as Tonk poll in-charge, state vice president Mukesh Dadhich said that there has been no formal appointment, as is the party norm in such cases, but Bidhuri has been entrusted with the responsibility of looking after the BJP’s election preparedness in the district.
Focus on Tonk
According to BJP sources, the party has been especially focusing on the Tonk district — a Gujjar-dominated area BJP leader. The Tonk assembly seat is currently held by the Congress’s Sachin Pilot, a prominent Gurjar leader. Bidhuri is gurjar
The BJP had held Parivartan Yatras in Rajasthan earlier this month to reach out to the public in the poll bound state.
“Our party focuses on each and every district and this is true for all elections. Ramesh Bidhuri ji has served in previous elections too including in West Bengal. This time the party felt he was required in Tonk and he has been given the duty of Tonk district,” said a senior BJP leader.
The leader added: “He is a popular Gujjar face and Gujjars have an electoral influence in Tonk district. A lot of people in the district are upset [with the Congress] over the fact that Sachin Pilot was not given the charge of CMship and we will be highlighting that in our campaign,” added the leader.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
Also read: ‘Fiery leader, gets carried away’ — DU alum with ABVP roots, Ramesh Bidhuri has history of outbursts