Jaipur: Six-time MLA and veteran BJP leader Suryakanta Vyas, who was popularly known as “Jiji” passed away today. She was 87.
Vyas, former MLA from Soorsagar, had been ill for a long time and was admitted to the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital on Wednesday after she complained of uneasiness in the morning.
A prominent representative of the Pushkarna Brahmin community, she won from the Soorsagar Assembly constituency three times. She also won three times from the Old Jodhpur seat before moving to the Soorsagar seat. She won her first election in 1990. Having started as a councillor, Vyas won her elections in 1990, 1993 and 2003 with high margins. She lost only in 1998. She was chosen as the best legislator in 2012. She was born on February 23, 1938. She had joined RSS and was one of the first female leaders to protest and demand rightful water supply in the 1970s when few women even ventured out, especially in conservative Rajasthan.
Vyas was, however, denied a ticket from Soorsagar in the 2023 Assembly elections. She had expressed her desire to fight from any other Assembly seat. She was miffed but later agreed to campaign for the new candidate, Devendra Joshi, who won the seat.
Although today Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat expressed grief on her passing away, he had taunted Vyas and another veteran BJP leader Kailash Meghwal, who is now suspended, over their age, saying both the leaders are nearing 90 and author Premchand Munshi had written that old age is a repeat of childhood and many mistakes are bound to be made, just as in childhood.
She had later said she was hurt by his comments and had emphasised, “I have been in BJP since the time when he ( Shekhawat) was not even born. He should have thought before making a statement about my age.”
Shekhawat had made his comments as Vyas, had praised the then Congress Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot a few days ago and compared him to raja and maharajas, who were known for their largesse for religious purposes, including building temples. Gehlot had then sanctioned Rs 4.75 crore for renovation of a temple dedicated to the deity of Pushkarna Community. There were even speculations that she might join Congress.
Gehlot took to X handle expressing his grief saying she had special affection for him and that her passing away was a personal loss for him.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma also expressed his grief, saying he had the good fortune to meet her a few days ago and was thankful for her guidance.