A truce was reached in the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Rajasthan on Wednesday, a day ahead of the State Assembly’s monsoon session, over former Assembly Speaker and sitting MLA Kailash Meghwal’s announcement for moving a resolution against Leader of Opposition (LoP) Gulab Chand Kataria. Mr. Meghwal had claimed that some of Mr. Kataria’s recent remarks had damaged the party's image.
BJP national general secretary and in-charge for Rajasthan Arun Singh, who rushed to Jaipur, convinced Mr. Meghwal to withdraw his move and work in the interest of the party. Mr. Meghwal, 87, who was also a Union Minister of State, wrote a 10-page letter to party president J.P. Nadda with his grievances and charges against Mr. Kataria.
A known supporter of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Mr. Meghwal said the main reasons for his decision to bring the resolution against Mr. Kataria at the BJP’s Legislature Party meeting before the Assembly session were his statements on Rajput warrior Maharana Pratap and Lord Ram. The LoP’s remarks had adversely affected the BJP’s fortunes in the three Assembly by-elections earlier this year, he said.
Mr. Singh summoned the octogenarian leader to the party headquarters here and had a detailed discussion with him. Mr. Meghwal agreed to drop his plan to move the censure motion and said he would join the fight against the ruling Congress as a “disciplined BJP worker”.
“The BJP has promoted me throughout my political career. It is my duty to work in the interest of the party,” Mr. Meghwal told reporters while coming out of the meeting. Mr. Singh earlier said after his arrival here that the BJP was not going to keep such statements in cold storage, whenever they appeared.
Mr. Meghwal had alleged in his letter that misappropriations to the tune of crores of rupees had taken place under Mr. Kataria’s protection during the distribution of party posts and tickets. “There is a common refrain in the public on how the Opposition is being unsuccessful in effectively raising the issues of people's problems and public welfare in the Assembly,” he said.
Long-time rivals
Mr. Meghwal and Mr. Kataria, who are in the rival camps in the BJP’s Rajasthan unit, have had differences over several issues since long. Mr. Meghwal had asked BJP State president Satish Poonia, who is also an MLA, to preside over the Legislature Party’s meeting, as the resolution was going to be moved against the LoP.
While campaigning for the Assembly bypolls in April this year, Mr. Kataria had triggered a row by making some derogatory remarks about Maharana Pratap, which angered the Rajput community. Around the same time, he also said that Lord Ram would have been “in the sea” if the BJP had not been there.
