The desert state’s politics is sizzling again, stirred by former CM Ashok Gehlot. On a recent trip to Ajmer, Gehlot casually dropped a bomb by claiming, “It would have been fun if Vasundhara Raje had become CM.” Gehlot went on to call Raje the “natural choice” of the BJP and sighed that despite her experience, the saffron party didn’t give her the throne again. “We are also sad about this,” he added with his trademark political poker face. The remark came just days after Raje’s meeting with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat fuelled speculation in power corridors. Political observers are calling Gehlot the “magician”.
5 Rajasthani students’ filmi-style exam journey
Who says exams are just about pen, paper and nerves? In Uttarakhand this week, they turned into a full-on adventure thriller! Picture this: cloudbursts, heavy rains, mountains cracking and landslides cutting off entire regions. In the middle of this chaos, five determined students from Rajasthan with one thing on their mind - B.Ed. semester exam at Munsiyari. Most people would have packed their bags but not this fab five. Instead of bowing to nature’s fury, they put on their metaphorical hiking boots, crossed broken trails, climbed over slippery rocks, and made it to the exam centre. Locals say it was nothing short of a “Bollywood entry scene”.
Pilot’s birthday bash in Mewar sparks buzz
Congress leader Sachin Pilot’s birthday usually makes headlines, but this year the buzz had a twist. For years, Jaipur was the fixed venue of his grand celebrations but this time, Pilot shifted it to Mewar’s Chittorgarh. The Tonk MLA has a reputation for never contesting the same place twice - until Tonk. He broke that pattern by winning from there again in 2023. But now, by celebrating in Chittor, he’s lit a fresh round of political candles—Is Pilot eyeing Mewar next? Or is it just a birthday outing with a dash of symbolism? In the gossip corridors of Rajasthan politics, this birthday has set off a big buzz about clues and calculations.
Rajesh Asnani
Our correspondent in Jaipur
rajesh.asnani@newindianexpress.com