From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has been called to Delhi by the Bharatiya Janata Party for second day on Thursday for consultations on the Assembly polls in a new twist in keeping her out of loop for the past many months.
Learning a lesson from Karnataka polls, the party is counting on the future polls on the strength of Prime Minister Modi and the popularity of the state leaders, including Vasundhara Raje.
She had talks on Wednesday with national organising secretary B L Santosh on her demand to field her as the chief minister candidate and she was told to be in Delhi again on Thursdsay for talks withome minister Amit Shah and national party president Jagat Prakash Nadda.
The party sources said she is being consulted for some organisational changes in the Rajasthan unit to give a new team to state president C P Joshi, who recently replaced Satish Punia. They said the new team is expected to be announced in the first week of July.
The BJP’s eyes are set on the strategy of former deputy CM and rebel leader Sachin Pilot on the power projection in Dausa on June 11 on the death anniversary of his father Rajesh Pilot. It suspects that Pilot will divide the Congress even if it does not form own party and that will give an advantage to the BJP.
There is no question of Pilot drifting to the BJP, particularly after making so much noise about corruption in the previous BJP government led by Vasundhara as she won’t allow hom in the BJP. Vasundhara is already touring the state to mobilise her supporters, assuring them that there is no place for Pilot in her party.
Meanwhile, the BJP has convened a meeting of its chief ministers and deputy CMs in Delhi on Sunday to discuss the Lok Sabha polls and the forthcoming Assembly elections. Prime Minister Modi, who had a review meeting on the implementation of the central schemes in the states on May 28, is allowing the responsibility to Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda and national organising general secretary B L Santosh to finalise a team for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
