Rajasthan Politics / Is Meena's resignation a rebellion against the CM? The game may get spoilt in the by-election

Vikrant Shekhawat : Jul 05, 2024, 02:50 PM
Rajasthan Politics: The BJP government led by Bhajanlal Sharma, formed six months ago in Rajasthan, has suffered a major setback. Even though Kirori Lal Meena has resigned from the post of minister due to the defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it is being seen as a political rebellion against CM Bhajanlal. The Chief Minister has not yet accepted the resignation. Meena has announced that he does not crave any post in the government or the organization. Kirori Lal Meena resigned from the post of minister on June 25, but the public announcement was made with the start of the assembly session. In such a situation, will Meena's displeasure not spoil the political game of BJP in the assembly by-elections?

During the Lok Sabha elections, Kirori Lal Meena had openly promised that BJP will win all the seven parliamentary seats coming in eastern Rajasthan and Meena dominated areas and if it loses even a single seat, he will resign from the post of minister. In 2024, BJP lost four seats of Dausa, Tonk, Sawai Madhopur, Bharatpur and Karauli-Dholpur and could win only Kota, Jaipur Rural and Bhilwara seats. In this way, as per his promise, Kirori Lal Meena resigned from the post of minister. BJP had not yet recovered from the defeat of 2024 elections in Rajasthan that Meena has given a big blow to BJP by resigning from the post of minister.

How big is Meena's stature in politics

Kirori Lal Meena is considered a veteran leader of Rajasthan BJP and is the face of the Meena community. Kirori Lal Meena was the most powerful minister in the state after CM Bhajanlal Sharma and both Deputy CMs - Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa. Three-time MP and sixth-time MLA Meena has his own political stature, who was given four ministerial posts in the Rajasthan government. From this, his political stature can be gauged and his name comes among the BJP leaders who opened the most front against the Gehlot government.

Why is he called a rebel leader

Kirodi Lal Meena has been called a rebel leader because of his political stance. It has been only six months since the Bhajan Lal government was formed, but Kirori Lal Meena has had political conflicts with many of his own leaders. Meena has raised questions about ticket distribution in the Lok Sabha elections and now after the results, he has made his rebellious stance known by resigning from the ministerial post. If he is not angry with Bhajan Lal, then why has he created tension for the Chief Minister by resigning in the middle of the assembly session. After the Lok Sabha election results, the Congress was already attacking the Bhajan Lal government and now Meena's resignation has given it an opportunity.

By-elections to be held on five seats

Due to five MLAs being elected as MPs in the Lok Sabha elections, five assembly seats in Rajasthan have become vacant, on which by-elections are to be held. Due to Kirori Lal Meena's resignation from the Bhajan Lal cabinet, BJP's political equation may get disturbed in the by-elections. Out of the five seats for by-elections, three seats, Chaurasi, Deoli and Dausa, are seats with tribal influence. Congress's Harish Meena won the election from Tonk Sawai Madhopur seat while Kirori Lal Meena is the MLA from the same seat. Isn't Meena's resignation going to put BJP in trouble amidst the assembly by-elections on five seats?

BJP is trying to persuade Meena

The biggest problem for BJP is that Kironi Lal Meena is not one of those leaders who sit at home and neither is he going to keep quiet. Now when there is no protocol for the post of minister, he is completely free to raise his voice and protest, as he used to do during the Gehlot government. However, efforts are being made in BJP to convince Kirori Lal Meena and retain him on the post of minister. In view of this, BJP's state president CP Joshi has said that Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal has been requested to continue giving the benefit of his experience in the government. The Chief Minister has also been talked to. Our effort is that he remains a minister.

Will Meena's resignation be accepted?

It is difficult for Meena's resignation to be accepted due to the by-elections to be held on five assembly seats. The political calculation behind this is that Kirori Lal Meena is the biggest leader from the Meena community and the role of Meena votes is important in the by-elections. After the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP would not want to take any political risk in the by-elections. That is why the BJP wants to keep him with them for the time being by appeasing him, due to which Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has not yet accepted his resignation.

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