The Hindu : Front Page : No end to confusion over Raje’s status

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Thursday, Aug 27, 2009
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No end to confusion over Raje’s status

Sunny Sebastian

- Photo: PTI

Still in command: BJP leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje chairing the Legislature Party meeting on the eve of the State Assembly session in Jaipur on Wednesday.

JAIPUR: Confusion prevailed over the status of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje who presided over a meeting of the BJP Legislature Party here on Wednesday, on the eve of a brief session of the Rajasthan Assembly.

Rajendra Singh Rathore and Gyandev Ahuja, the MLAs suspended from the party on charges of indiscipline last week, were allowed to attend the meeting. The MLAs who were suspended from the House were also present. Mr. Ahuja is suspended from both the party and the Assembly.

The meeting, which decided to continue the House boycott until the suspension of three MLAs is revoked, itself presented a paradoxical picture of Ms. Raje continuing as Leader of the Opposition as she would have no role from now. There was reportedly no discussion on the MLAs suspended from the party attending the meeting or on the issue of leadership of Ms. Raje, who was directed by the party leadership to quit the legislature wing post.

Against claims made by senior party men here that her resignation was pending with the central leadership, Ms. Raje denied having put in her papers.

“Whatever is in the party’s interest, I will do it,” she asserted in a brief interaction with the media after the meeting. However, party leaders in the State maintained their earlier stand that her resignation was pending and it was only a matter of time before she quit. “Everything is final and only the date has to be put on the letter to formalise the resignation,” one of them reiterated.

The meeting lasted less than 15 minutes and Ghanshyam Tiwari, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, put the number of BJP MLAs who attended at over 70. The party has 78 MLAs. MLAs of the CPI (M) and the Janata Dal (United) did not take part in the meeting, which was initially projected as a gathering of all members of the Opposition.

After the meeting, Ms. Raje met Speaker Deependra Singh Shekhawat.

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