Power message in Raje’s temple visits, say experts
BJP says former CM’S tour on March 7, 8 is personal and religious, not political
JAIPUR: Former chief minister and BJP national vice-president Vasundhara Raje will visit many temples on March 7 and 8 before celebrating her birthday in Bharatpur in what political analysts and the Congress see as an attempt to show her strength in the state and send a message to factions within the party, even as BJP leaders said her yatras is personal not political.
Factionalism within Rajasthan BJP has become more evident recently, with MLAS close to Raje writing to state party chief Satish Poonia, complaining of being ignored in the state assembly. Earlier, her supporters held a meeting in the name of a ‘chintan baithak’ in Kota city and pitched for her to be the chief ministerial candidate in the next assembly polls.
Raje will not address any gathering during her tour, her supporters said. Her birthday, March 8, is also the International Women’s Day.
According to a release issued by the private secretary of Raje, she will reach Punchdi ka Lota temple in Bharatpur at 9.30 am on March 7 via a helicopter from Jaipur. Later, she will go to Girrajji temple in Mathura district (UP) by road .
After this, at 11.40 am, she will reach Danghati temple and worship. After having lunch, she will reach Adi Badrinathh temple at 6pm. After a night halt, on March 8, she will attend early morning arti at Adi Badrinath temple, and then will go to Kedarnath temple at 12.30 pm. She will leave for Dholpur in a helicopter after worship and lunch at 3.30 pm.
Former ministers Yunus Khan, Babulal Verma and former state BJP president Ashok Parnami are camping in Bharatpur. The arrangements were finalised on Friday. Former
MLA Vijay Bansal took a meeting of Raje’s supporters in Bharatpur assembly constituency.
Political analysts say Raje has been carrying out religious rallies and processions to strengthen her ground in politics. A few days ago, she had visited Govind Devji Temple and Kale Hanuman Temple in Jaipur where her supporters had chanted slogans of “Kesariya me hara bhara, Rajasthan me Vasundhara.”
“In politics, religious yatras are a way to strengthen the political roots. Raje had carried out a yatra in the previous tenure of Ashok Gehlot government too. But the difference this time is that last time she had carried out the yatra just before elections after facing allegations from opponents that the leader of opposition mostly spends her time in London. This time elections are almost three years away,” said Tribhuvan, senior journalist and political analyst.
He added that last time also there was factionalism within the party but at that time the central BJP didn’t have strong leadership in Delhi as they have now. “This time also Raje wants to weaken the faction against her. She wants to convey that she is not going anywhere and wants to remain visible in the state politics,” said Trbhuvan. “In politics, remaining silent is also way of expressing intention very loudly.”
On the religious yatra of Raje, Congress spokesperson Archana Sharma said that the factionalism within the party is visible. “While one faction of leaders close to Raje is making preparations for last few months, another is staying away, which clearly reveals that their party is divided and have proand anti-raje factions,” Sharma said.
State BJP chief spokesperson Ramlal Sharma said the tour of the former chief minister is completely personal and religious, not political. “Raje has carried out religious tours in past too on the occasion of her birthday. This yatra should not be seen as a political event,” he said.