Poll results have once again raised the political stature of the Rajasthan CM.
New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha election results have once again raised the political stature of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. CM has kept his supporting MLAs together. This will help him to call shots in the organization and the government as well.
On the other hand, these results will adversely impact the state BJP unit. It is a loss of face for the BJP as they have fielded a second candidate without sufficient numbers. Sources say the BJP high command has taken it very seriously. While Congress candidates K.C. Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi won with 64 and 59 votes respectively. BJP’s Rajendra Gehlot got 54 votes and its second candidate Onkar Singh Lakhawat got only 20 votes.
If sources are to be believed, the decision to field a second candidate was taken at the behest of a state based Union minister. Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was kept out of the whole decision process. BJP was hoping and preparing for Congress infighting. They had established contact with some Congress MLAs as well. But Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot spoiled it for them. He himself handled the whole matter and got full support from the Central command as well. Keeping his flock together was indeed a challenge for Gehlot, but he not only held his own MLAs intact, but created stir in the BJP camp as well. For once, even pro-BJP parties also panicked.
Gehlot’s strategy has made Congress sail through again. National general secretary K.C. Venugopal, close confidant to Rahul Gandhi and state general secretary Neeraj Dangi, a trusted aide of Ashok Gehlot, will now join the Upper House in Parliament.