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Vasundhara likely to visit Delhi today

JAIPUR: After days of prevarication and attempts at delay following the BJP central leadership’s directive to her to step down as Leader of the Opposition, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is likely to visit Delhi on Friday. She is likely to hold discussions with senior party leader L. K. Advani the same day and meet party president Rajnath Singh on Saturday.

It is generally perceived here that Ms. Raje would tender her resignation to the party president. Her camp followers here expect Mr. Singh to allow her to continue in the post after the resignation till the brief session of the Assembly gets over by the end of this month or in the first week of September.

The expulsion of senior party leader Jaswant Singh from the party seemingly had a sobering effect on Ms. Raje though her actions in the past two days betrayed none. The leadership’s rather severe action against Mr. Singh suits Ms. Raje who has been at loggerheads with him ever since she took over as Chief Minister and thereafter.

“He used to be the rallying point for anti-Raje forces both in Rajasthan and in Delhi,” observed one of the Raje supporters on condition of anonymity.

Curiously, Ms. Raje could be a beneficiary of the party leadership’s hatchet job on Mr. Jaswant Singh as it is obvious that the party cannot afford to “punish” yet another senior leader from Rajasthan in the same manner. In the wake of the suspension of the two MLAs, the State unit as well as the rest of the senior leaders here has been careful not to provoke her camp anymore. The party did not even seriously pursue the case of a group of hoodlums attacking the State office on the night of the MLAs’ suspension.

The discussions between her and Mr. Singh may include the contentious issue of choosing a successor to her in the Assembly. Ms. Raje wants one of her followers to take her place while those opposed to her are keen to have someone outside her team of MLAs. Former Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria is said to be the front-runner. During the meeting with Mr. Singh she could also leave the names of her choice with him so that the party can announce one from it later.

Though Ms. Raje claims the support of 53 MLAs -- two days back as many reportedly signed a memorandum to the party president -- the strength of MLAs visiting her Civil Lines residence here lately has fallen to lightly over two dozens.

Ms. Raje appears to hold a sway over first-timers and women MLAs including Kiran Maheshwari, national president of the BJP Mahila Morcha.

The Raje camp remained silent throughout Thursday after a show of strength on the streets in the districts the previous day during her trip to Nagaur.

Two of the MLAs -- Rajendra Singh Rathore and Gyandev Ahuja -- who were suspended from the party on Tuesday had accompanied her on her trip outside Jaipur. Initially it was said that they too would accompany her to Delhi; now it is being pointed out that she would be going alone to meet the party leaders.

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