Rajasthan BJP chief impasse on, Shekhawat still front-runner

JAIPUR: As the impasse over the appointment of Rajasthan BJP chief continued on Saturday, sources said that the party is looking for a middle path by appointing Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat as the state unit president and other important posts going to chief minister Vasundhara Raje loyalists.

BJP sources said that Raje has been asked by the party’s national leadership to accept their decision on the choice of the new party president.

However, in return, she has been assured that the head of the party committees, including campaign committee, formed in the run-up to the state elections will be of her choice.

Friction between Shah and Raje has been on ever since Raje loyalist Ashok Parnami was asked by BJP president Amit Shah to resign.

Parnami put in his papers on April 16, but two months later the party has not been to finalise a candidate.

Raje has been strongly resisting Shekhawat, who is close to the party’s central leadership. The ostensible reason is that if Shekhawat, a Rajput, is appointed, the crucial Jat community could feel alienated, given the history of rivalry between the two communities.

The actual reason, party sources said, is that the two don’t see eye to eye.

Sources said talks were held in Delhi on Saturday to resolve the issue and the announcement may come soon. The state chief plays an important part in the selection of candidates and campaign which can affect the chief minister’s hold over the state unit.

At present, Raje has a strong grip over the state MLAs but any change in the candidate selection can impact her future prospects.

On Friday, Raje had a meeting with party vice-president OP Mathur with whom she does not share a good rapport.

Mathur, believed to be close to Amit Shah, is one of the senior most party leaders in Rajasthan and the party’s central leadership wants her to work in close coordination with him.

In a meeting on June 13, Shah asked the party leaders to rise above factional differences and work for BJP’s victory in the next state elections.