JAIPUR: Dates for the Assembly elections in Rajasthan are yet to be announced. But a triangular contest is already on within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for distribution of tickets.
While the contest between chief minister Vasundhara Raje and party state president Om Prakash Mathur for controlling the selection process was always expected, the entry of former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat into the ring has made the battle even more interesting.
Unlike in the last elections, when Raje ruled the roost and had the final say on almost all constituencies, this year she might budge to the demands of the party. An official close to Raje said she has the feedback from all constituencies. "It is quite likely that Raje will select her candidates on seats that have winning proposition. She will leave the dicey ones for Mathur and the Sangh to decide," the official said.
Mathur has had several meetings with her in person in the last couple of weeks. He is lobbying hard for getting his candidates to fight the elections this time. "Mathur has done is homework well and has a list of candidates for each of the 200 constituencies in the state," a party official said.
Mathur himself has been vocal about party being the supreme authority in selection of candidates. To a question on who will have the final say in selection of candidates, he said, "Sangathan (the organisation) will select and distribute the tickets for all the 200 constituencies."
Officially, Shekh-awat has been saying that he has absolutely no interest in the state elections. But his recent attacks on corruption and meetings with important players have created the impression that he is interested in playing an active role. As a result, applicants have started approaching him for tickets.
Shekhawat has a stake in constituencies where he will want to call the shots. "Raje is not very keen on ministers or MLAs switching their seats en mass. Shekhawat is looking for a safe passage for his son-in-law and health minister Narpat Singh Rajvi who is likely to switch from Chittorgarh to Jaipur," a BJP office-bearer said. The first list of BJP candidates is expected by the end of October.
