Jaipur: The BJP in Rajasthan, a divided house over rumbling in its ranks, appears to have woken up to the need to a 'patch-up' between former Chief Minister and veteran party leader Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Union Minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Such a move instructed by party top brass in Centre saw Shekhawat knocking on the door of Raje whom he did not see eye-to-eye for long.
In September, just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Parivartan Maha Sammelan rally in Jaipur, Shekhawat met Vasundhara in a surprise move which paid off well for latter. On Saturday, after her name featured in the BJP's second list of candidates for the upcoming Rajasthan assembly polls, an elated Vasundhara Raje lost no time to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party's national president JP Nadda for reposing their faith in her and clearing her candidature from Jhalrapatan. Earlier, uncertainty loomed over the candature of Vasundhara, who has remained largely inactive in Rajasthan politics.
Read more: Buzz over role fizzled out: Present tense, future uncertain for Vasundhara
The talk of her being in the reckoning began during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent rally in the poll-bound state, but the issue was visibly put on the backburner after she was not seen delivering speech at the dais from where Pm Modi addressed a poll rally. The party, however, kept faith on her and it became clear soon after the second list was released on Saturday.
In a post on X, the former CM wrote, "I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda and the top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for reposing faith in me and making me the assembly candidate from Jhalrapatan. Together, we will post a record victory, Jai-Jai Rajasthan!"
Read more: BJP announces 2 Rajasthan poll panels, Vasundhara Raje missing from both
Will the Shekhawat-Raje patch up will really help the BJP to take on the might of Gehlot? A party functionary said Vasundhara's vast expeience in Rajasthan BJP is undeniable. Despite party's aversion towards Vasundhara for long time, Raje continues to be a strong leader, he said.
"It's good that the party top leaders have woken up to the need for a patch of up between Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. It was much needed as polls are around teh corner. The party must figt unitedly forgetting all difffeences," he said.
Earlier in the day, the BJP released its second list of candidates for the November 25 Assembly elections, with Raje securing a ticket to seek a fresh term in the House from the Jhalrapatan constituency. The party declared 83 candidates in its second list, featuring some prominent names including the BJP's former Rajasthan president Satish Punia, who has been fielded from the Amber constituency.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Rajendra Rathore, will contest the polls from the Taranagar constituency while former MP Jyoti Mirdha, who joined the BJP last month after leaving the ruling Congress, has been fielded from the Nagaur constituency. Jhalrapatan has been the preferred Assembly constituency for the former CM to contest the state polls.
Meanwhile, the Congress on Saturday announced its first list of 33 candidates for the upcoming polls. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has been named the Congress candidate from Sardarpura constituency while his former deputy Sachin Pilot will his nomination papers from the Tonk constituency. Govind Singh Dotasra, a sitting minister and president of Rajasthan Congress Committee will contest the polls from Lachhmangarh. Senior Congress leader and Assembly Speaker, CP Joshi, will contest from the Nathdwara seat while Divya Maderna and sitting minister Ashok Chandna will file their nominations from the Osian and Hindoli seats respectively. Minister for Child Empowerment, Mamta Bhupesh, will contest from Sikrai-SC seat. The Congress came out tops in the last Assembly polls in 2018, bagging 99 seats in the 200-member Assembly to emerge as the largest single party. The BJP finished a close second at 73 seats. The counting of votes for Rajasthan, along with four other poll-bound states, has been scheduled for December 3.
