The Hindu : Front Page : Raje ‘not well’, son meets Venkaiah

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Tuesday, Sep 01, 2009
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Raje ‘not well’, son meets Venkaiah

Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s top brass on Monday received a minor after-shock after last week’s tremors — in the form of news about “viral fever” afflicting Leader of the Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Vasundhara Raje, instead of her resignation.

Ms. Raje, who came here on Sunday, sent her son and Jhalawar MP Dushyant Singh to meet party leader Venkaiah Naidu, instead of meeting him herself. The son, party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, informed him that his mother had “viral fever” and was, therefore, unable to keep her appointment.

That was the official word from the party. Unofficially and privately, it was pointed out that Ms. Raje was bargaining for more time and putting off the inevitable moment of resignation, as she wanted the party to take back the suspension two of her supporters — Gyandeo Ahuja and Rajendra Rathore — in the legislature party. She also wants the party to name her successor as Leader of the Opposition according to her wishes and from among her supporters.

It was also being said that she herself wants to be accommodated “honourably” as a senior party office-bearer. However, the problem with this last “wish” is that with the organisational election process already started with a membership drive, no revamp of the list of office-bearers is being thought of at this juncture. Of course, there is no woman general secretary, and one position is vacant after Arun Jaitley resigned on being elected Opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha.

The news of “viral fever” means the Rajasthan imbroglio in the party could continue for a few more days, at least.

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