STATE OF BJP’S STATE LEADERS

Was there a move within the BJP to move its regional satraps to the Cabinet at the Centre and bring in new heads of states? Certainly, that was the buzz when we saw party functionaries from the headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg descend to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and more recently Karnataka to confabulate with party MLAS and state ministers about their respective Chief Ministers. We also saw Yogi Adityanath making a sudden visit to Delhi where he met with Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda. Add to this list of state stalwarts, former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje and her ongoing feud with rival factions within the state unit,especially Satish Punia, state party president. All this led to speculation that these leaders could be removed from the state level, by giving them a consolation post in the Cabinet at the Centre. But these rumours have now been firmly scotched, for it is clear that Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Yogi Adityanath and B.s.yediyurappa will continue as Chief Ministers. Vasundhara Raje too has resisted all overtures of a Cabinet post for state politics is where she sees her future, even while her picture seems to be missing from posters put up by the Rajasthan BJP. Recently she used her birthday in March to embark on a two-day Dev Darshan Yatra that was seen as a subtle shakti pradarshan, with 20 MLAS and 8 MPS present, leading Nadda to caution against Ekla

Chalo leaders during his visit to Rajasthan. An interesting sidelight was a short-lived but highly mischievous buzz that there would be another move to get her out of state politics by offering her a Cabinet berth in the Modi government. As the rumour goes, that would also scotch Jyotiraditya Scindia’s chances of a ministerial berth as the “Scindia” quota would then go to his aunt. However, even if such an offer is made, Vasudhara Raje will surely refuse, so that’s one bit of gossip that crash-landed before it could take off.