New Delhi/Jaipur: Simmering differences within the BJP surfaced in the desert state as senior party leader Kirodi Lal Meena resigned from the state Cabinet following the poor performnce of the party in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Sources said that Meena had to resign after his “differences” with the state leadership and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
Meena had said that he would quit the Cabinet if the BJP lost any of the seven Lok Sabha seats in eastern Rajasthan under his responsibility: In the event, the BJP lost four including his native Dausa. Overall, the BJP won 14 of the state’s 25 seats, its tally coming down from 24 in the 2019 polls.
His resignation it is yet to be accepted; He holds multiple portfolios: agriculture, rural development, disaster management and relief.
Meena, denying any differences with the state leadership or the Chief Minister, said he has no expectations, or resentment with the organisation or Sharma.
“The party high command has called me to Delhi tomorrow, I will go and satisfy them (on my decision). I could not make the party win. I had said if the party does not win, I will resign. It is my moral responsibility to resign. I met the chief minister but he rejected my resignation. My credibility among the people should remain intact, I have resigned,” he said.
When asked whether he was unhappy with the party for not making him Deputy Chief Minister, Meena said no. “If I was dissatisfied, I would have resigned immediately after taking oath. I have no complaint against the organisation or the Chief Minister, neither do I have any complaints nor am I greedy for power. I did not resign because of the post. I resigned because I stand by what I said about my failure to get the party win seats,” he said.
Earlier, Meena posted on X: “Raghukul reeti sada chali aai, pran jaai par vachan na jayi” to underline his unwavering intent to keep his promise at any cost.
He was also in the race for the Chief Minister’s post after the results of the Assembly elections in December last year, but the party high command picked first-time MLA B.L. Sharma to lead the state.
Mr Meena, who is a five-time MLA and a former Rajya Sabha MP, has been a Lok Sabha MP from Dausa and Sawai Madhopur.
