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Raje facing revolt from Cabinet colleagues

Sunny Sebastian

Two Ministers, Ghanshyam Tiwari and Narpat Singh Rajvi, criticise her style of functioning

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is facing a revolt from within her Cabinet with two of the senior Ministers, Ghanshyam Tiwari and Narpat Singh Rajvi, coming out into the open against her style of functioning. The Ministers are apparently piqued at the Government's "unilateral decision" to allocate land for the proposed mega projects along the Jaipur-Delhi and Jaipur-Ajmer highways which they say would lead to large-scale displacement of farmers.

Mr.Tiwari, who is the Education Minister, on Thursday evening sent back his official car amid rumours that he had quit. Mr.Tiwari and Mr.Rajvi, Industries Minister and son-in-law of the Vice-President, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, had stayed away from official programmes attended by Ms.Raje during the day. In fact Mr.Rajvi's absence at the launch of the World City, a joint venture project of Mahindra Group and the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation, during the day had set the tongues wagging over the ongoing cold war.

Mr. Tiwari had been agitated over the Government's decision to acquire land along both sides of Ajmer road, which are falling under his Assembly constituency, Saganer, for the proposed knowledge corridor, IT corridor and Special Economic Zone. Only three days back Mr.Tiwari had given an assurance to the agitating farmers that their holdings were safe as the proposed projects were not to be implemented. However, his position became somewhat awkward when the State Government clarified that it would go ahead with the projects. The announcement of acquiring 3000 acres of land for the World City came for him as the proverbial last straw on the camel's back.

Mr.Tiwari's grouse is that even after being in a senior position, he was not consulted -- or even informed -- about the policy decisions, which would affect his constituency and voters. As for Mr.Rajvi, the discomfiture is obvious as the Industries Minister of the State, he should have known about the whole exercise.

Mr.Tiwari took recourse to "vrat" on the occasion of "Navratra" to maintain silence over the developments. However, Mr. Rajvi, who chose to attend a conference by the Confederation of Indian Industry on venture capital fund where Ms.Raje was the chief guest, told newspersons that he would prefer "transparency" in the dealings of the State Government. The State Cabinet should have been consulted on important issues, he said.

At the same venue Ms.Raje, responding to newspersons' queries, said the farmers were not against the decision to acquire land. She also denied receiving resignation letters from any of her colleagues.

Mr.Tiwari and Mr.Rajvi, whose political ambitions are fairly known, are not alone. Various groups of Ministers are battling within and outside. Not all of them are against Ms.Raje but most of them are taking pot-shots at their enemies in the Cabinet. Names mentioned in this connection include that of Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria (versus Food and Civil Supplies Minister Kirorilal Meena).

The recent rapprochement Ms.Raje had with Mr.Tiwari and Mr.Rajvi has remained short-lived with both of them not mincing words about the activities of the "land mafia". They are not certainly alone.

The tone and tenor of a meeting of senior leaders, including the State president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi and former president and MP, Raghuveer Singh Kaushal on Friday were said to be critical of the functioning of the Government.

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