Vasundhara Raje emerges 'winner' in BJP's Rajasthan loss as Gehlot survives Pilot crisis

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 11

Congress rebel Sachin Pilot has finally returned home, just in time before the August 14 Assembly Session called by Governor Kalraj Mishra in Rajasthan.

Apparently, it was Pilot's meeting with the Gandhis on Monday that clinched the deal for the reconciliation with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and survival of the Congress government in the state.

Interestingly though, the development also followed the visit by former BJP CM Vasundhara Raje to Delhi and her meeting with the saffron party's who's who.

This has given a reason for observers to believe that more than the Congress leadership, it is the "understanding and political acumen" of Raje and Gehlot, who between them have ruled Rajasthan for more than two decades now, that saved the day for the Congress in Rajasthan for now.

Rajasthan has an interesting political quality. Before Raje and Gehlot, it were leaders like Bhairaon Singh Shekhawat of the BJP and Hardev Joshi and Shiv Charan Mathur of the Congress who dominated the political scene in the state.

Observers say Pilot's rebellion could have ended the "partnership" between Raje and Gehlot provided he and BJP's Gajendra Singh Shekhawat played well. But it seems they underestimated Raje as well as Gehlot.

The Congress imbroglio also brought into open factionalism and contours of different groups within the BJP.

Raje refused to join the state leadership's plan to join forces with rebels. Maintaining  a low profile, she skipped meetings called by state president Satish Poonia. While poltics played in full force, Raje posted just one tweet saying the people of Rajasthan were paying the price for the Congress crisis.

Ultimately, it all worked according to her. The BJP has 72 MLAs in the state and it seems more that 40 of them are allied to her.

In her meetings with the top party leadership, including JP Nadda and Rajnath Singh, Raje is believed to have expressed displeasure over certain decisions taken by the state leaders. Sources said Raje was assured that she will be a part of any decision taken by the BJP regarding Rajasthan.

"Raje said she stands with the party but will not compromise on her self-respect," they said.

Following this, Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria was told to bring back MLAs shifted to Gujarat to safeguard them “against poaching”.

Even though BJP leaders insist that “it is just a matter of time” before the Gehlot government falls under its own weight, the imbroglio has shown who is the boss in Rajasthan.

While Raje is known to hold her own against someone as powerful as Amit Shah, there also appears to be a clear “directive” from Nagpur that the person occupying the top post should be from the Sangh ‘parivar’, its background and ideology.