New Delhi: Vasundhara Raje may have submitted
her resignation to party top brass from the post of Leader of
Opposition in the Rajasthan assembly but her clout in the
organisation was on display today when new Central leadership
asked her to represent her state in the meeting of BJP LOPs.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari convened a meeting of Leaders
of Opposition in non-BJP ruled states to discuss the
performance, role and problems of the party in the assemblies
and also plan out the strategy for the future.
Leaders of Opposition and some Deputy Leaders in state
assemblies of non-BJP ruled states, including Haryana,
Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Assam, Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh took part in the meeting.
Raje represented the BJP MLAs from the state in the
meeting. Her presence today lends credence to reports that she
is in the good books of Gadkari and is likely to be elevated
to the post of national general secretary soon.
Her successor as Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan is
also likely to be her candidate if he or she is
democractically elected as she claims to have the support of
the majority.
After the meeting, Leader of Opposition in Delhi, V K
Malhotra told reporters that BJP MLAs expressed concern over
the decreasing importance of state assemblies as frequent
disruptions were bringing down the number of sittings.
"It was proposed that a legislation should be brought in
assemblies to make it legally binding to have 50-60 days of
sittings every year," Malhotra said.
Gadkari also asked BJP MLAs to maintain a clean image.
"To effectively criticise the government, we should not take
favours from it by seeking transfers, etc," he said.
The government attempt to enact laws for minority
reservation in states like Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra
Pradesh was discussed. Other important issues were the attacks
on North Indians living in Maharashtra and the "autocratic
government" in Uttar Pradesh.
The leaders were also asked to mobilise the state units
for the forthcoming BJP agitation against price rise and the
internal security situation.
"The co-ordination within the organisation should be
improved," Malhotra said.
The MLAs were also asked to spend 10 days every month in
touring their areas.
PTI
