JAIPUR: It’s official. MLA Kirori Lal
Meena is back in
BJP. As expected, the five-time legislator and two-time Lok Sabha MP on Sunday was nominated for the Rajya Sabha from the state by the party.
Lalsot MLA Meena, along with his wife
Golma Devi and another MLA Geeta Verma, joined the party on Sunday amid much fanfare at the
state party headquarters. With three of the four sitting MLAs of
NPP officially joining the BJP, the state unit of the NPP was merged with the ruling party.
“I have returned home unconditionally. Today marks the end of my exile,” he said. Upbeat over the inclusion of NPP in BJP, chief minister Vasundhara Raje said, “The collaboration will make BJP stronger. I am happy that a strong brother, leader and party worker is back with us today. Welcome, welcome, welcome.”
Meena, who has a strong RSS background, had quit from the BJP a decade ago, just ahead of the 2008 assembly polls, reportedly over difference with Raje over election tickets. He maintained that he had not kept any conditions for his return to the party.
Sources claimed that Meena had given his formal approval for the merger to senior RSS pracharak Durga Das in a closed door meeting held at Bharti Bhawan after Holi. “Meena was reluctant to join BJP citing irreparable mistrust between him and Raje. Das pointed out that he had not achieved much since quitting BJP. Meena expressed his consent which was forwarded to senior RSS brass in Delhi,” said a source in Bharti Bhawan.
Meena’s return ‘big win’ for BJP ahead of polls
It’s official. MLA Kirori Lal Meena is back in BJP. As expected, the five-time legislator and two-time Lok Sabha MP on Sunday was nominated for the Rajya Sabha from the state by the party.
Lalsot MLA Meena, along with his wife Golma Devi and another MLA Geeta Verma, joined the party on Sunday amid much fanfare at the
state party headquarters. With three of the four sitting MLAs of NPP officially joining the BJP, the state unit of the NPP was merged with the ruling party.
“I have returned home unconditionally. Today marks the end of my exile,” he said. Upbeat over the inclusion of NPP in BJP, chief minister Vasundhara Raje said, “The collaboration will make BJP stronger. I am happy that a strong brother, leader and party worker is back with us today. Welcome, welcome, welcome.”
Meena, who has a strong RSS background, had quit from the BJP a decade ago, just ahead of the 2008 assembly polls, reportedly over difference with Raje over election tickets. He maintained that he had not kept any conditions for his return to the party.
Sources claimed that Meena had given his formal approval for the merger to senior RSS pracharak Durga Das in a closed door meeting held at Bharti Bhawan after Holi. “Meena was reluctant to join BJP citing irreparable mistrust between him and Raje. Das pointed out that he had not achieved much since quitting BJP. Meena expressed his consent which was forwarded to senior RSS brass in Delhi,” said a source in Bharti Bhawan.
Kirori wanted rs seat for brother but party refused
It is believed that the formal announcement of him joining the party, which was expected on Saturday, was deferred to Sunday because of his insistence that the party nominate his brother
Jagmohan Meena to the Rajya Sabha instead of him. However, the party refused to give in to that demand.
In his address at the party office on Sunday, Meena did make it a point to hint at his disappointment for being nominated for the Rajya Sabha.
“I am not in agreement over going to Rajya Sabha, but I accept the role that party has decided for me. However, I am making it clear, I will be seen in Rajya Sabha for two to four days, the rest of the time I will spend in villages as I am a grassroots person,” said Meena.
On a lighter note, he added, “At this age, I can’t live away from my wife Golma Devi.”
Present at the occasion were Raje, state BJP president Ashok Parnami, senior cabinet ministers and hundreds of supporters. The big show put up at the party office in Jaipur on Sunday reflected the need of the state BJP to display its strength after the recent bypoll debacle.
Ahead of the assembly polls, scheduled later this year, this merger is believed to provide the ruling party a boost, particularly in the assembly seats of Dausa, Sawai Madhopur and
Karauli, where Meena boasts of a strong following.
