JAIPUR: Internal conflicts within the BJP’s Rajasthan unit have surfaced after Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena publicly demanded that Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma take action on issues, such as corruption and paper leaks, in the state, party leaders aware of the development said.
Meena also recently triggered a buzz in political circles when he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had entrusted him with the responsibility of “securing seven seats”. He vowed to resign if the BJP loses even one of these seats. Although Meena did not specify which seven districts he referred to, political analysts said he was talking about the districts in eastern Rajasthan.
Previously, Meena had made a similar claim regarding Dausa, an eastern district, asserting that he would resign if the BJP lost there. Sharma, although an MLA from Jaipur, hails from Bharatpur. The Congress appears to be mounting a challenge to the BJP in eastern Rajasthan, raising concerns about potential losses for the BJP in Lok Sabha elections in the region. “Meena’s resignation offer is a strategic move to pressure Sharma into taking moral responsibility for any potential electoral setbacks,” a political analyst said. However, Meena said in a media interview, “I am not acting against anybody but merely performing my duties.”
Adding to the internal strife, minister Krishna Kumar Vishnoi wrote a letter to the CM regarding power supply. Amid soaring temperatures, Rajasthan faces a power shortage. Vishnoi asked the CM to address power cuts in his area.
The conflict within the BJP in Rajasthan began when the party’s high command sidelined two-time CM Vasundhara Raje and favoured first-time MLA Sharma for the CM post. Several leaders within the BJP objected to the decision. Sources indicate speculation about Sharma’s potential removal from the top post.
However, signals from the BJP leadership suggest that Sharma’s position is secure. Recently, PM Modi, during the campaign, affirmed the stability of the Sharma government. Senior BJP leader Rajendra Rathod has denied any rift within the party.