The Hindu : National : Munde briefs BJP on infighting in Rajasthan

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Tuesday, Oct 30, 2007
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Munde briefs BJP on infighting in Rajasthan

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party leadership was briefed here on Monday by the party’s political affairs in-charge of Rajasthan Gopinath Munde on the intense infighting in the State party that has begun to threaten the stability of the Vasundhara Raje government.

While senior leader Venkaiah Naidu said “there was no question of change of leadership in Rajasthan,” Mr. Munde was not able to explain the recent absence of several State leaders, including ministers, from the party’s two-day state executive committee meeting in Sanwaliaji in Chittorgarh district. Twenty of 38 party district presidents absented themselves, as did six Cabinet Ministers and one Minister of State. State Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria did not meet Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani who was present on the second day of the meeting.

Although party leaders pretended nothing much was wrong, the conduct of the State president Mahesh Sharma, considered close to Ms. Raje, is being discussed by the central leadership.

Panel set up

Mr. Munde told reporters here that after he was given charge of the State’s political affairs, he has been able to fill up a number of vacancies in party positions. He also said that a coordination committee had been set up to bridge the gap between the party and the State government. He was non-committal about a possible change in the party set-up in Rajasthan. The dissidents, he indicated, would talk directly to party president Rajnath Singh.

Ever since the Gujjars came out openly against the government the infighting in the party has become fierce.

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