JAIPUR: Despite Amit Shah’s efforts during his Jaipur trip last month, infighting in Rajasthan BJP continues. Latest is the loss in Zila Pramukh elections in Baran district. Though Congress and BJP got nearly the same number of votes, the latter succeeded in making the wife of a minister the Zila Pramukh due to cross-voting by a BJP member.
The state BJP unit formed a committee to investigate, but BJP MLA and former minister Pratap Singh Singhvi, a known Vasundhra Raje loyalist, resigned from the committee. He said efforts are made to target Raje and her son Dushyant Singh. The BJP had majority in two places in the election of district chief in four districts where elections were held. But it got a district chief in only one place. Congress also had majority in two districts, but managed three.
The BJP state unit has taken cross-voting seriously. Other than forming an inquiry panel, two officials were sent to Baran. Every effort is made to find the name of the member who voted for Congress. BJP state president Satish Poonia, who leads the anti-Vasundhara faction, said, “People who cheat the party are first seen by the public, then by god and after that, the party sees them. Steps will be taken against them.”