From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: After the Karnataka poll setbacks, the BJP’s top bosses have started reviewing their strategy vis-a-v-s Rajasthan Assembly polls. Rise of Arjun Rm Meghwal, a Dalit face, is being seen as an early signal to the functional groups in the state jostling for the leadership.
Meghwal holding the key law ministry is a direct message to the voters in 34 Scheduled Caste and 25 scheduled tribe seats in the state where the Assembly polls are due in November-December this year.
The BJP may have a decisive advantage if it can set its house in order and settle the leadership issue which is currently divided in pro and anti Vasundhara Raje camps. Former CM Vasundhara (70) wants herself to be projected as the CM face to which there is yet no consensus in the central leadership.
In March, the BJP appointed Chittorgarh MP CP Joshi, a Brahmin, as the new state president replacing Satish Poonia, belonging to the anti-Raje camp.
Before tht, the BJP leadership appointed Leader of Opposition in Assembly Gulab Chand Kataria as the Assam governor and replaced him with Churu MLA Rajendra Singh Rathore, a Rajput as the new LoP in the Rajasthan Assembly.
Rathore was earlier known to be the follower of Vasundhara camp, but recently he seem to be treading a middle path.
Handing over the charge of the law minisstry to Meghwal is seen as a tactical move to promote a Dalit face and woo the backward voters as also caution the BJP factions to fall in line or be prepared to accept the “new leaders.”
The BJP can exploit the factional war between Rajasthan Chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, if it could unite its own leaders ahead of the polls.
To this end, Meghwal is the “third factor” which may be used by the BJP leadership to rein in the warring factions. The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes account for 31% of the state’s population and form a huge vote bank in the desert state that may swing the elections to either side. Advantage of Meghwal is that he has always remained distanced from all factions in the party.
