Whiff of rebel in Rajasthan BJP: Senior party leader seeks Vasundhara's removal
"I am worried about Bharatiya Janta Party coming back to power in Rajasthan," he said adding that in three years various organisations who are connected ideologically with them like Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Vishva Hindu Parishad agitated against the government.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje
Jaipur,UPDATED: Feb 12, 2017 18:36 IST
It's rebel season for BJP in Rajasthan as senior leader and five-time BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari has sought removal of Vasundhara Raje as the Chief Minister.
Tiwari, while speaking with India Today, maintained that the BJP will not get good results in the next elections if Vasundhara stays at the helm and is not removed.
Tiwari, had in the past, been the deputy leader of opposition and also a minister in the BJP government.
HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED
- "I am worried about Bharatiya Janta Party coming back to power in Rajasthan," he said adding that in three years various organisations who are connected ideologically with them like Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Vishva Hindu Parishad agitated against the government.
- Pointing out how Sangh's pracharaks came out on the issue of temples he said it means that they have lost faith.
- The state BJP leadership has taken note of Ghanshyam Tiwari's rebellion but seems currently reluctant to act against him. The fact that Tiwari is no greenhorn and happens to be a seasoned leader who won the Assembly elections five times, the last time by the highest margin in Rajasthan Assembly election, seems to have only compounded the worries of the party.
- State BJP president Ashok Parnami says his case is in the knowledge of the disciplinary committee.
- "The issue is in their knowledge. It is in everyone's knowledge," he said.Tiwari claims Vasundhara has been operating in an autocratic manner. He mentions various positions have been filled with outsiders rather than with party cadre which has left people within the organisation disillusioned.
- "The second thing that happened was the organisational structure of the party was destroyed. One meeting should be held in three months (whereas) one meeting of the state executive was held in three years. The state executive was not even announced for 12 months and the structure that is there even now, it's on ad hoc basis," he said.
- Tiwari's rebellious notes have been making sound for some time now but has recently adopted a more strident shape with him directly seeking Vasundhara's removal.
- He maintains that grievances will be conveyed to the central leadership. Tiwari, who is a sitting MLA from Sanganer Assembly constituency, won the last Assembly election by the highest margin in Rajasthan, significantly more than the margin by which Vasundhara had won. He defeated the Congress candidate by more than 60,000 votes and garnered more than 60 per cent of the votes polled in his constituency.
- Tiwari, who has been working with Deendayal Vahini is considered an old BJP hand who has maintained close association with the RSS. However, he maintains that the Sangh has never asked him to not revolt against Raje.
- "They (Sangh) have never said to me that they are happy or unhappy. They have never told me to do or not do Deendayal Vahini's work. So, they can clarify," says Tiwari.
- The senior BJP leader claims more than half of the state BJP MLAs support him but maintains that they will come forward when voting is held on state leadership issue. "Why will I make their names public today? Will not even tell their number. They are more than half. But they will come out when the voting will happen".
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Also read: BJP may sack Vasundhara Raje for Lalit Modi links
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