BJP Former CM caused fresh embarrassment to his party with Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot claiming that Bheru singh asked him to arrest Vasundhra Raje. Gehlot told a weekly that Shekhawat, who has been gunning for Raje, had asked for action against her despite the latter being a BJP leader. In a revelation that comes just ahead of BJP's national executive meeting in Nagpur, Gehlot made the party's discomfiture even more acute when he said he had rebuffed Shekhawat.
"Bhairon Singhji asked me to send Vasundhara to jail... I told him that was the judiciary's job, not mine," a report quoted Gehlot as saying in the interview. The leader has also previously written to Gehlot seeking an investigation into several corruption charges he had levelled against Raje which Shekhawat claims add up to Rs 22,000 crore. With Lok Sabha elections round the corner, Shekhawat is providing a delighted Congress with ready ammunition against BJP as the veteran leader is consumed by his anti-Raje campaign. Along with former finance minister Jaswant Singh, who also has a quarrel with Raje, Shekhawat has been railing against the former CM who he feels has sidelined him in Rajasthan politics.
Gehlot looks set to use the opening he has been provided by Shekhawat to try and tie down Raje as general elections approach. While claiming that he was not acting out of vendetta and did not want to follow the retributive model of Punjab and Tamil Nadu politics, Gehlot has nonetheless said he intended to investigate "misuse" of land acquisition laws, violation of tendering norms in water, electricity and irrigation projects, tapping phones of ministers and fake encounters.
Even if he does not actually take up all the allegations levelled, Gehlot is clearly intending to keep Raje on the defensive if he can. The shrewd politician can be expected to play on faultlines within BJP and keep it distracted from attacking the Congress. BJP leaders contend that Shekhawat is not the force he used to be and his harangue will have a limited effect. There may be some truth in this as Raje has come to be BJP's face in Rajasthan, but Shekhawat's shenanigans will give a handle to Gehlot.
This fight between Bheru singh and Raje is definitely going work as a main factor in upcoming Loksabha Election.
"Bhairon Singhji asked me to send Vasundhara to jail... I told him that was the judiciary's job, not mine," a report quoted Gehlot as saying in the interview. The leader has also previously written to Gehlot seeking an investigation into several corruption charges he had levelled against Raje which Shekhawat claims add up to Rs 22,000 crore. With Lok Sabha elections round the corner, Shekhawat is providing a delighted Congress with ready ammunition against BJP as the veteran leader is consumed by his anti-Raje campaign. Along with former finance minister Jaswant Singh, who also has a quarrel with Raje, Shekhawat has been railing against the former CM who he feels has sidelined him in Rajasthan politics.
Gehlot looks set to use the opening he has been provided by Shekhawat to try and tie down Raje as general elections approach. While claiming that he was not acting out of vendetta and did not want to follow the retributive model of Punjab and Tamil Nadu politics, Gehlot has nonetheless said he intended to investigate "misuse" of land acquisition laws, violation of tendering norms in water, electricity and irrigation projects, tapping phones of ministers and fake encounters.
Even if he does not actually take up all the allegations levelled, Gehlot is clearly intending to keep Raje on the defensive if he can. The shrewd politician can be expected to play on faultlines within BJP and keep it distracted from attacking the Congress. BJP leaders contend that Shekhawat is not the force he used to be and his harangue will have a limited effect. There may be some truth in this as Raje has come to be BJP's face in Rajasthan, but Shekhawat's shenanigans will give a handle to Gehlot.
This fight between Bheru singh and Raje is definitely going work as a main factor in upcoming Loksabha Election.
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