Despite speculaton, Vasundhara Raje may stay CM

Jaipur: Three days after reports emerged that the RSS was averse to the idea of changing chief ministers in BJP-ruled states due for elections in 2018, rumours were doing the rounds on social media that Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje would be replaced by the party’s Uttar Pradesh in-charge Om Prakash Mathur.

So strong were these rumours that state president Ashok Parnami was forced to issue a statement that Ms Raje would complete her term. Mr Mathur too was compelled to clarify, “I am an ordinary party worker. I do whatever responsibility assigned to me. However, this talk of my becoming CM is baseless. This is merely a rumour created by media.”

However, these denials are unlikely to quell the growing feeling about her diminishing powers and uncertain future. This was quite unlike her previous tenure, when she was considered so strong that she could dictate terms to central leadership. “She would complete her term but definitely lost leveraging power,” said a party functionary.

In fact, her second term was always marked with uncertainty about her continuation as CM from day one. Speculation was rife about her removal when the Lalit Modi controversy broke out two years ago. At the time, hoardings calling for Mr Mathur as Rajasthan chief minister surfaced at several places, along with slogans like “Bihar chunav jaane do, Om Mathur ko aane do”.