‘No conflict between me and Raje, party is united’
BJP state president Satish Poonia said that there is no conflict between him and former chief minister Vasundhara Raje. In an interview with
on Tuesday, Poonia claimed that their party is united and has begun preparations for bypolls to be held soon for four assembly seats. Edited excerpts:
Our party doesn’t run on statements. The social media creates divides. There is no conflict between me and Raje. She is our national vice-president. This is true that role of senior leaders is decided by the central leadership. Even the Congress had to remove its state president and a few ministers (during the political crisis in July year). Being the BJP president in the state, it is my role to keep everybody together.
The local body election results always come in the favour of the ruling party. When the Congress was in the opposition, they had secured 25 seats and we won 39 seats. Out of 48 municipal bodies where the Congress succeeded in forming boards a couple of days ago, the ruling party had lead only in 19. They formed boards in the rest of the municipal bodies with the help of independents. The mandate is against the state government. For the first time in the history of Rajasthan, out of 21 zila parishads, they were ahead of us only in five. It is big failure of the state government. law and order, and atrocities against women, among others.
Trend indicates that the bypoll results generally come in favour of the ruling party, but this time there is an anti-incumbency against the government. Our senior leaders are working at the grassroots and have started booth management. I have also visited the seats. In future, two senior leaders will be deputed in every seat. Our organisational strength is better than the Congress.