Kataria, Raje likely to contest Lok Sabha polls
JAIPUR: Former home minister and Udaipur MLA Gulab Chand Kataria was on Sunday unanimously elected the leader of opposition in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.
The 74-year-year Udaipur legislator will also be sworn in as the pro-tem speaker on Monday for administering oath to the newly elected MLAS in the assembly session beginning January 15.
The move has strengthened speculation that former chief minister Vasundhara Raje will now be shifted to national politics. She is likely to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Kataria was elected as the leader of opposition (LOP) during first meeting of the BJP legislators on Sunday.
Raje proposed Kataria’s name in the meeting and it was unanimously seconded by the MLAS.
Former parliamentary affairs minister and Churu MLA Rajendra Rathore was nominated as the deputy leader of opposition.
Kataria, an eight-time MLA and Rathore, a seven-time MLA, are both known for their articulate and aggressive nature. Their elections suggest that Bharatiya Janata Party high command is keen on developing a second leadership in the state.
Talking to the media after his election as the leader of opposition, Kataria said, “We will play the role of opposition for the next five years and be the voice of people in the state.”
He said the party will work to rectify shortcomings and try to win all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state.kataria, will also be the protem speaker to conduct the first meeting of the newly elected assembly.
BJP national general secretary Arun Singh said there was only one name for the post of leader of opposition.
He said the Congress government did not have clear mandate and there was a need to keep a check on the government.
He said the government has made tall promises, but there is no clarity on the announcement of farm loan waiver or when the unemployment dole will be given to unemployed youth.
Union HRD minister and party’s poll in-charge for Rajasthan Prakash Javadekar, national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi and party state president Madan Lal Saini were present in the meeting.
Kataria has done his post graduation and also holds B Ed and LLB degrees.
He has once also been the state party president.
KATARIA AN EIGHT-TIME MLA AND RATHORE, A SEVEN-TIME MLA, ARE BOTH KNOWN FOR THEIR ARTICULATE AND AGGRESSIVE NATURE.