Rajasthan polls: BJP leaders on ground to assuage those denied tickets

Jaipur : Massive efforts are underway in Rajasthan BJP to placate the leaders disgruntled over their names missing from the first list of candidates for the November 25 Assembly polls in the state. Top party leaders have taken the lead to end the political controversy triggered by the ticket distribution.

As part of the efforts, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat visited Ajmer on Thursday, Organisation General Secretary Chandrashekhar went to Jhunjhunu, state co-in-charge Vijaya Rahatkar was in Sanchore, while Deputy Leader of Opposition Satish Poonia took charge of Sriganganagar, and state party in charge Arun Singh held discussions with the "dissatisfied" leaders in Jaipur.

On Friday, senior party leaders are set to meet and deliberate on the significant issues with regard to the polls. Recently, Arun Singh held a meeting with former MLA Narpat Singh Rajvi, son in law of two-time CM and former Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, to convince him that his concerns will be taken to high command and resolved.

Pertinent to mention that after the first list released by BJP, all-round protests have broken out across the state. As per sources, though BJP is fighting against Congress in the polls, the manner in which tickets of leaders close to Vasundhara Raje have been cut, indicates that apart from grand-old party, it is also fighting a cold war with Vasundhara Raje.

RSS is also not very happy with certain names cut from the list, they added. Meanwhile, Vasundhara Raje and her supporters are reportedly awaiting the second list despite the cancellation of tickets of leaders close to her.

While she is quiet like a disciplined player and maintaining patience, it is to be seen whether Vasundhara Raje, who has been waiting for the last four-and-a-half years to come into the mainstream, will be able to maintain her composure post the second list.

Rajasthan BJP Election Management Committee convener Narayan Panchariya said that Raje is the second biggest leader of BJP after Jai Prakash Nadda at the Centre. "There is no faction or camp in our party. Only lotus is our identity. Raje was recently a flag-bearer in Jharkhand too and she did her job quite efficiently, he added.