With the BJP ousting the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan, the party is now focusing on choosing the chief minister, keeping the fate of the seven sitting MPs hanging — four MPs won while three others lost.
If sources are to be believed, the BJP leadership has decided that the four winning candidates — Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari, who won from Vidhyadhar Nagar, Jaipur rural MP Rajyavardhan Rathore, winner from tough Jhotwara constituency, Alwar MP Baba Balaknath gained in Tijara in spite of 38% Muslim voters and Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena who won Sawai Madhopur — will rejigged from their respective houses of Parliament.
The BJP wants the winning MPs to concentrate on state politics, and if sources are to be believed, the leadership has in mind “bigger roles” for them to play. Three out of the four winning MPs are being considered to be the Chief Ministerial race.
Though the BJP sources indicate Vasundhara Raje Scindia “may be allowed back” at the top job “for the time being”, others are likely to get ministerial berths or positions of chairperson in government bodies that have a direct effect on people like the Board of Secondary Education. Remember, Rajasthan Eligibility Exam for Teachers (REET), conducted by the Board of Secondary Education Rajasthan (BSER), was one of the 16 papers leaked during the Gehlot term. The another example cited by the source was the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation.
The goal will be to incorporate as many independent candidates in the administration as possible if Raje finally makes her way into the top seat.
But it is not about the four MPs who won but also the three who lost — what’s in store for them?
Narendra Kumar, MP from Jhunjhunu, lost the Mandawa seat to Congress candidate Rita Chaudhary by a margin of 18,717 votes. Jalore MP Devji Patel lost miserably in Sanchore to BJP rebel Jiva Ram Choudhary. He did not come second as well. Congress candidate and minister Sukhram Bishnoi secured the second position — sliding the BJP MP far away. The biggest loser among the BJP MPs was Ajmer MP Bhagirath Choudhary. He secured the third position in the Kishangarh constituency. Congress’s Vikash Choudhary won that seat.
If BJP sources are to be believed, they face a bleak electoral future with the BJP unwilling to give Lok Saha tickets to the three. While the party acknowledges assembly and Lok Sabha elections are fought on different issues and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image will be the party’s biggest selling point in 2024, the party is unlikely to gamble on those who cannot even secure the second position, say sources.
On December 3, the BJP secured 115 seats, limiting Congress to only 69 constituencies in the 199-seat Rajasthan Assembly.
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