Fissure in Rajasthan BJP: Vasundhara Raje missing from poll panels

The growing fissure between former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and the Central leadership has come to the fore again on Thursday.

BJP president, J P Nadda announced two poll panels – the election management committee and manifesto committee – for the upcoming assembly elections, but Vasundhara Raje’s name did not find a mention in either of them.

The 21-election management committee is headed by former MP Narayan Panchariya while union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will lead the Pradesh Sankalp Patra (manifesto) committee.

The announcement was made by BJP state president C P Joshi and in-charge for Rajasthan, Arun Singh.

When asked Rajasthan election in-charge Prahlad Joshi told ANI that “Vasundhara Raje is our very esteemed leader. We have involved her in many programmes and will continue to do so in the future.”

Along with Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, Rajasthan is scheduled to go to the polls later this year.

In 2018 the Congress had won seats while the BJP had won 73 seats in the 200 member assembly. The Congress led by Ashok Gehlot formed the government with the support of Independents and the BSP MLAs.