Tussle between BJP top brass and CM Vasundhara Raje far from over; Amit Shah has apparently made it clear to her that appointment of party leaders is his prerogative.
New Delhi: The tussle between BJP’s top brass and Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje over the appointment of the BJP state unit president is far from over and the decision could be announced after the Karnataka assembly elections, ThePrint has learnt.
According to sources, BJP chief Amit Shah has made it clear to Raje that appointment of party leaders was his prerogative.
ThePrint had reported that Shah was pushing for Jodhpur MP and minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Shekhawat as well as central MoS Arjun Ram Meghwal’s names for the state president’s post.
Raje has been strongly resisting both Shekhawat, close to the party’s central leadership, and Meghwal’s names.
The sources said that the BJP top brass had been holding parleys with Raje and her senior cabinet colleagues who visited Delhi to lobby for their cause.
RSS point person in the BJP, Ram Lal, was also involved in the negotiations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has apparently backed the decision of Shah, but the name will be announced after the Karnataka polls.
The president of BJP’s Rajasthan unit will have a say in distribution of tickets in the state where assembly polls are due later this year.
Caste logic won’t work
Sources said Raje along with her ministers had met party’s national general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal and explained how the caste logic will work against Shekhawat.
“Ramlal ji told them that they should know Sangh does not recognise caste and they should rather go and work in their constituencies,” said a source.
Rajasthan is crucial for BJP
Rajasthan is considered crucial for the BJP given it had won all the 25 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 elections. Now, it wants to retain most of the seats in the 2019 polls as well.