Raje shows strength, 43 MLAs threaten to resign
7 May 2012 5:09 AM GMT
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Rajasthan went into a crisis on Sunday, when 43 MLAs loyal to the former chief minister Vasundhara Raje threatened to resign.
Soon after, the senior leaders of the party got into a firefighting mode and managed to control the damage to a large extent.
Raje threatened to leave the party on Saturday, after the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh-backed member Gulabchand Kataria had planned to take out a state-wide Lok Jagran Yatra. This yatra was seen by a section of the party as a move by Kataria to project himself as the chief-ministerial candidate for the assembly elections due next year.
The party, however, played down the crisis on Sunday, with Raje herself saying, ‘It is the party’s internal problem and we will be able to resolve it.’
The central leaders of the party also toed the same line. ‘There may be some differences of perception, but when she has said herself that it is an internal matter of the party, then we should treat it like that,’ said party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Kataria, had to cancel the yatra after Raje’s threat. ‘It is very unfortunate that a campaign which was aimed at strengthening the party in the Mewar region – which plays key role in the state election – was objected without any sound logic. It was not my personal decision. It was planned in consultation with the party’s state leadership,’ said Kataria.
Soon after, the senior leaders of the party got into a firefighting mode and managed to control the damage to a large extent.
Raje threatened to leave the party on Saturday, after the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh-backed member Gulabchand Kataria had planned to take out a state-wide Lok Jagran Yatra. This yatra was seen by a section of the party as a move by Kataria to project himself as the chief-ministerial candidate for the assembly elections due next year.
The party, however, played down the crisis on Sunday, with Raje herself saying, ‘It is the party’s internal problem and we will be able to resolve it.’
The central leaders of the party also toed the same line. ‘There may be some differences of perception, but when she has said herself that it is an internal matter of the party, then we should treat it like that,’ said party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Kataria, had to cancel the yatra after Raje’s threat. ‘It is very unfortunate that a campaign which was aimed at strengthening the party in the Mewar region – which plays key role in the state election – was objected without any sound logic. It was not my personal decision. It was planned in consultation with the party’s state leadership,’ said Kataria.
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