JAIPUR: In Rajasthan, speculation is mounting within the ruling BJP over a major cabinet reshuffle and expansion in the Bhajan Lal Sharma government. With former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje stepping up her political activity in recent weeks, party insiders hint that the expansion could be timed ahead of the upcoming panchayat elections.
Rajasthan currently has 24 ministers (12 cabinet ministers, 9 ministers of state, 2 deputy chief ministers and 1 chief minister). Six posts are vacant in the Cabinet, and six new faces could soon be included. Sources say some ministers from the Bhajan Lal cabinet, whose performance has been tardy, may also be dropped. Also, the reshuffling of departments of some is also possible.
Expansion of the Bhajan Lal cabinet has been postponed for a long time, but it may happen soon to balance ethnic and regional equations before the upcoming panchayat polls. The BJP's biggest focus is on Shekhawati, the tribal region and eastern Rajasthan, where the party suffered setbacks in both the assembly and Lok Sabha elections. It's widely believed that before the panchayat elections, the BJP will try to reach out to the communities that are feeling neglected.
It's been over 22 months since the BJP government was formed in Rajasthan, and discussions on cabinet expansion are now gaining momentum. BJP sources say that CM Bhajan Lal Sharma has visited Delhi several times in the last few days. During these visits, he has met several top BJP leaders, and it is believed that key discussions have been held on the names for cabinet expansion and reshuffle.
What has added to the buzz in BJP circles is the recent activity of former CM Vasundhara Raje, who seems to have come out of her seclusion over the past month. Her recent meetings with top BJP-RSS leaders have set off speculation about her political comeback. Raje has been quite inactive ever since she was ignored for the chief ministerial position two years ago. But suddenly she has held a flurry of meetings with the top BJP-RSS functionaries, including PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
With a Cabinet reshuffle looming in the state, BJP insiders claim Raje’s hectic parleys are aimed at ensuring ministerial posts for her loyalists. With the Bhajan government’s image taking a beating due to the inexperience of most ministers, top party leaders are likely to accommodate some Raje loyalists. Two veterans from the Raje camp - Malviya Nagar MLA Kalicharan Saraf and Nimbahera MLA Shrichand Kriplani – are said to be likely inclusions in the Cabinet.
Raje’s meetings with the BJP’s top leaders have come at a time when the party is still unable to name its next President. Many in the Rajasthan BJP are speculating that Raje has thrown her hat into the ring. Raje is also said to be lobbying for a ministerial berth in the Union Ministry for her son Dushyant Singh, the MP from Jhalawar.
With Bhajanlal Sharma, a first-time MLA turned into CM and a majority of freshers in his cabinet the BJP top brass seems to be focusing on forming a strong bunch of competent ministers who could deliver results in the near future. With speculations intensifying each day, an air of suspense and eager anticipation prevails in the Rajasthan BJP.