Vasundhara Raje's Potential Lok Sabha Candidacy Amid Rajasthan Political Rumbles
NEW DELHI: Amid murmurs in the power corridors of Rajasthan on the “political future” of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, the central BJP is abuzz that the Jhalrapatan MLA, and also a national vice-president, could contest the coming Lok Sabha elections. Speculation is rife that Raje could contest from the Jhalawar-Baran seat, represented by her son Dushyant Singh. Raje, it is learnt, has been informed about the move by the BJP top brass, though a final decision is yet to be taken.
Raje had met BJP president J.P. Nadda a couple of days after the Assembly poll results were declared, and had also met Union home minister Amit Shah.
Ever since the BJP top brass made Bhajan Lal Sharma, a first-time MLA, the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan, rumour mills in the BJP state unit have been on an overdrive regarding the “political future” of Raje. The former chief minister was also missing from the meeting of the state’s office-bearers and MLAs with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, but sources said the former chief minister had already apprised the leadership of the reason due to which she would not be able to attend the meeting.
Ahead of the Assembly polls, Raje, a two-time former chief minister, was seen as a top contender for the chief ministerial post, but the BJP top brass decided to hand over charge to a new face, Bhajan Lal Sharma, apparently to check factionalism. The BJP leadership also tried to bring in new faces in the government and it is reported that the state party organisation will also likely be refurbished, also to contain factionalism.
In the recently-concluded Assembly elections in the state, the BJP won 115 seats and the party leadership decided to go with a new face as the chief minister and two deputy chief ministers.
Sources said the BJP top brass is of the view that the 70-year-old leader, who has a massive following in the state and major clout in the state unit, should also be brought to New Delhi to maintain equilibrium in its state unit.
