Amit Shah has his say in picking Rajasthan chief

Jaipur: Regarded as the “Chanakya” of Indian politics, BJP president Amit Shah has once again proved why the sobriquet bestowed on him is apt.

Though on the face of it, Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje has scored brownie points over Mr Shah by making him eat humble pie in selection of the state BJP president.

That she showed remarkable obstinacy against Mr Shah by thwarting his favoured candidate and getting a person from her own ilk (preferred candidate) is being claimed as his defeat.

In hindsight, another view is gaining ground within the party that Mr Shah has hit “many birds with one stone” in the form of appointment of M.L. Saini as the new state president. Mr Saini, 72, is an OBC leader from Sikar and belongs to the Mali caste that Congress leader Ashok Gehlot hails from.

Besides, Mr Saini is said to be a useful face vis-a-vis caste equation. Jats, crucial in Rajasthan politics, would not have liked a Rajput as the state president given their historical rivalry.

An RSS man, Mr Saini is unlikely to give undue leverage to Ms Raje despite her perceived favours in Rajya Sabha nomination or present job. “She shouldn’t be under any illusion that Mr Saini would be servile to her like his predecessor Ashok Parnami. He may act independently and not necessarily side with her,” a party functionary said.

Curiously, Mr Saini is also said to be close to Ms Raje’s competitor, Om Prakash Mathur, state general secretary (organisation), who was instrumental in getting Mr Saini his first Assembly ticket way back in 1990. Later, when Mr Mathur was the state president, he had appointed Mr Saini as the party general secretary.

After taking charge, Mr Saini had a 90-minute closed door meeting with Mr Mathur at the latter’s residence.

Since Mr Mathur is considered a close confidant of Mr Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is assumed that Mr Shah is now likely have a bigger say during ticket distribution.

According to a senior leader, Ms Raje fears that she might be deprived of another term and so she wants to fill the legislative party with her loyalists. Her apprehensions stem from the fact that unlike Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the BJP has not declared a chief minister face in Rajashtan.

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