BJP rift widens as leaders scuffle at Rajasthan meet

JAIPUR:  The infighting within the Rajasthan BJP refuses to abate despite top leadership’s repeated pleas for unity. In the latest episode, the rift resurfaced on Wednesday at a state working committee meeting in Kota where many supporters of ex-CM Vasundhara Raje were not allowed inside the venue. That led to a scuffle among BJP leaders. Raje had to leave the meeting, sources said.

The two-day meeting was supposed to chalk out a strategy for the assembly elections. Many senior leaders such as Bhavani Singh Rajawat and former party vice president Prahlad Panwar along with the former CM Vasundhara Raje were to attend it. However, except Raje, everyone else was stopped at the gate. This angered the leaders, leading to a clash. Videos of the scuffle have gone viral.

Raje was to speak for about 25 minutes on subjects like BJP’s victory in four states, Prime Minister Modi’s announcement of employing 10 lakh youth and the Agneepath Sainik Scheme. However, Raje left much before the meeting ended.State BJP chief Satish Poonia refused to take questions from the media.

Later, leader of the Opposition Gulabchand Kataria said, “Raje had left before the meeting was over. Why she left without addressing a session, only she can tell.” Raje apparently went to RSS office where she spoke with officials for a few hours. Sources said she had prepared her speech on the Modi government’s achievements, but she was asked to speak on a new subject.