Jaipur: Even after one of BJP’s worst performances in the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan, speculations about shuffling in the top echelons of power corridors in the state unit would have to wait for sometime.
At the same time, a whispering campaign is on that while the elections was fought in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the accountability should also primarily lay with Delhi.
Although there have been talks of replacement of the first-time MLA and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma for quite some time, the rumours have been firmly denied by Delhi.
On Wednesday, Maharashta Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis offered to resign after taking responsibility of rout for the saffron camp in Western state. However, this is perhaps not going to happen in the desert state as all directions are said to have come from Delhi, with the state unit only being the implementing agency. The talks of resignation and fear of heads rolling in the state is minimal here.
Prime Minister Modi’s overarching presence in form of rallies and roadshows and guarantees, which dominated the entire campaign, can now come in handy for the BJP ministers and workers to not feel burdened by the defeats and the victory margins. BJP lost as many as 11 seats out of the total 25, which they had won the last two times.
It is unlikely that CM Bhajanlal Sharma would be replaced or any heads would roll anytime soon, say political observers. Also, with Modi and home minister Amit Shah taking the lead, most workers became complacent and over-confident that Modi would take them home.
Sources also say although resentment has been brewing over faulty ticket distribution and for no attempts to assuage the sentiments of major castes like Jats, Rajputs, Dalits and others, the general feeling that “Modi hain toh mumkin hain” adage, made most keep mum.
Sources also say those deputed to oversee the elections in Rajasthan had no idea of the ground realities. Also, a section of party workers, who are Vasundhara Raje supporters, are waiting for the right time.
The party, however, during its introspection period, is bound to review the working of its ministers including the Chief Minister, who failed to get their candidates elected despite being in the majority in their respective constituencies.
One of the most senior ministers, Dr Kirori Lal Meena, who was given the responsibility to oversee seven Lok Sabha seats in the eastern region of the state, could not even deliver Dausa, his stronghold. Modi had held a massive roadshow in support of Dausa candidate Kanhaiya Lal Meena, where minister Meena was given the chance to accompany him on the jeep, which probably elevated his position in the party ranks but nothing else.
He had talked about resigning if he failed to deliver Dausa. After the debacle, Dr Meena now says he had talked about resigning only if he could not deliver any of the seven seats. As the results started coming in, by afternoon he had hinted on his X-handle that he may put in his papers when he put out the tweet: “Raghukul reet sadaa chali aayi, pran jaaye par vachan na jaaye.” Dausa also had Olympian and minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore as one of its observers.
Congress’s Murarilal Meena won Dausa with a margin of 2,37340 votes and vote share of 60.24 per cent. Congress has wrested four seats in the eastern region. However, it is said Dr Meena was already unhappy after Bhajanlal Sharma was chosen for the top post, overlooking his seniority and experience and also for being given an unimportant portfolio and was looking for an excuse to resign.
CM’s performance is under intense scrutiny after he failed to get Ramswaroop Koli elected from Bharatpur, a SC seat in his home district. Forest minister Sanjay Sharma was also incharge here. Congress’s Sanjana Jatav won by a margin of 51,983 vote share of 51.18 per cent. The 26-year-old Sanjana Jatav would be one of the youngest MPs in the New Lok Sabha and she persevered even after losing Assembly elections in Kathumar by just 409 votes.
Congress has won four seats in eastern Rajasthan - Dausa, Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Karauli-Dholpur and Bharatpur and three seats in Shekhawati region like Churu, Sikar (in alliance) and Jhunjhunu. And one seat in Nagaur, another in Banswara (in alliance) and another in Ganganagar, a SC seat.
The fiery education minister, Madan Dilawar, who made Surya namaskar mandatory in schools, was made the incharge of Tonk-Sawai Madhopur.
This Lok Sabha constituency comprises the Assembly segments of Sawai-Madhopur from where Dr Meena is the legislator and Malpura from where MLA Kanhaiya Lal Choudhury, is water resources minister. Even they could not ensure the victory of their candidate Sukhbir Singh Jaunpuriya, a two-time MP. Congress’s Harish Chandra Meena, a former IPS, former Dausa MP and MLA (Deoli-Uniara) won by a margin of 64949 votes and a vote share of 50.9%.
In Sikar, where Congress and CPI(M) alliance candidate Amraram won over two-time MP, saffron clad Sumedhanand Saraswati by a margin of 72896 votes, ministers Gautam Dal and Jhabar Singh Kharra were deployed to steer him to victory. Amraram, a popular Left leader, accrued a vote share of 50.6%.
Churu, a Jat stronghold, had become a prestige battle for BJP and especially senior leader Rajendra Singh Rathore. The battle became more intense after Rahul Kaswan, the incumbent MP, was denied a ticket by BJP, some say at the insistence of Rathore.
It is said that Rathore believes Kaswan was instrumental in his defeat in the Assembly elections from Taranagar, which could have paved his way for the top post. Modi also came to campaign for paralympian Devendra Jhajhariya, saying he chose him himself. Churu is one of the lowest points in BJP’s electoral fare this time. Even Jhajhariya’s clean image and Jat background could not save him as the battle became caste-driven with Jats and Rajputs on other sides of the fence. Rathore, a Rajput, turned it into a fight for honour and survival. With Kaswan winning comfortably with a margin of 72373 votes and vote share of 51.12 per cent, Rathore’s career seems to be spiralling into wilderness.
In Karauli-Dhoplur, Jawahar Singh Bedam, minister of state for home, was overseeing the constituency. In this SC reserved constituency, Congress’s Bhajanlal Jatav romped home with a margin of 98945 votes and a vote share of 53.64 per cent defeating Indu Devi who managed a vote share of 43.62 per cent.
In Ganganagar, minister Sumit Godara, was made to oversee the northern border SC reserved constituency. Congress’s Kuldeep Indora won by a margin of 88153 votes and a vote share of 51.4% defeating BJP’s Priyanka Balan.
One of biggest upsets for BJP was in Banswara, where Congress turncoat and influential tribal leader Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, faced a crushing defeat by Congress-Bharat Adivasi Party alliance candidate Rajkumar Roat, by a margin of 2,47,054 votes and with a vote share of 50.15 per cent. Roat is a MLA from Chaurasi.
This is same place where Modi delivered his controversial speech on 'mangalsutra' and called Muslims “Infiltrators” and “those who have more children.” Incidentally BAP’s Jaikrishn Patel also won the Bagidora bypoll Assembly seat vacated after Malviya shifted to BJP.
BJP sources also say with at least four by-elections lined up, the Delhi top brasses would not prefer to affect any reshuffling in the state unit. All are in the wait and watch mode for now.
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