Rajasthan: From Vasundhara Raje바카라�s Comeback To Wooing Rajput Voters, The Many Signals From Devi Singh Bhati바카라�s Entry In BJP

The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has repeatedly hinted that 바카라�Lotus바카라� will be the only symbol for the party in the assembly elections that are just two months away. 

While the party has not projected former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje or anyone else as its face, a flurry of meetings and the induction of Raje-loyalist Devi Singh Bhati into the party after Prime Minister Narendra Modi바카라�s rally in the state have lifted the hopes of Raje바카라�s supporters. 

Modi바카라�s rally in Jaipur on Monday made it clear that the BJP has no favourites to become the party바카라�s face in the upcoming polls. In the rally, he said, 바카라�I want to tell every BJP worker that our identity and pride is only the lotus.바카라�

Raje camp hopeful after Bhati바카라�s induction

In view of the polls, while the BJP is banking on collective leadership, Raje바카라�s supporters have been demanding to make her the BJP바카라�s face.

Three days after Modi바카라�s rally, the BJP inducted Bhati, a Raje-loyalist and an influential Rajput leader, into the party after four years. His induction came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda held separate talks with the Raje and the party바카라�s 바카라�Rajasthan core group바카라�.

Bhati, 77, is a seven-time MLA from Kolayat seat. He resigned from the saffron party in 2019 after the party gave a Lok Sabha ticket to his rival Arjun Ram Meghwal 바카라�Union Law Minister바카라� from Bikaner. Bhati was not only vocal about it but he had also campaigned against Meghwal publicly.

As per the sources in the BJP,  Bhati바카라�s re-entry took place after Raje convinced the BJP바카라�s top leadership to allow him and some other leaders to return as it would be beneficial to the party.

바카라�In the last week, several talks have happened between Raje and the senior BJP leaders and the central leadership is clear about her importance and cannot sideline her. The recent induction of Bhati is an example which clearly suggests that Raje would have a say in the ticket-distribution,바카라� said a source close to Raje to Outlook.

However, other party leaders also see Bhati바카라�s induction as an appeasement of Rajput voters. 

바카라�His induction in the party could be a game-changer as far as the Rajput voters are concerned. Right now, the party wants to take all communities together. More than pleasing Raje, the BJP wants to give a tough time to Congress by bringing a stalwart community leaders into its fold,바카라� said a senior BJP leader to Outlook on the condition of anonymity. 

Factionalism in Rajasthan BJP

Owing to the previous infighting in the party due to factionalism, it is an open secret that the BJP바카라�s central leadership is not projecting Raje as the chief ministerial candidate.

Raje was present at the flagging-off ceremonies of Parivartan Sankalp Yatras but, unlike in the run-up to the previous assembly elections in 2018, did not participate in the yatras. In 2018, she was the face of BJP from the onset. Similarly, her exclusion from the BJP바카라�s Election Manifesto Committee and Election Management Committee have also made her feel disgruntled.

However, after the recent meetings with the top brass leaders, two-time CM Raje is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that she gets her due. Just ahead of Modi바카라�s rally in Jaipur, Raje, who was earlier absent from the BJP바카라�s Parivartan Sankalp Yatras, addressed two meetings, participated in BJP 바카라�core committee바카라� deliberations, and met Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat 바카라� seen as her rival. A day before Modi바카라�s rally, Raje tweeted and appealed to the people to join. She said, 바카라�Let바카라�s come together and bring change. Modi will guide the BJP workers.바카라�

Last week, Raje organised a meeting of women where she thanked Modi for the passage of the Women Reservation Bill. She said, 바카라�Women have been my strength and I would not leave Rajasthan. I will serve till I am alive.바카라�